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HAI^D-BOOK OF SARATOGA, 



STRANGERS' GUIDE. 



/ By 



R. L. ALLEN, M . D . 



He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills." — PsA. civ. 10. 



^"COF^YRlGHf 



-»♦♦ 




i.fa-i0rli: 



W. H. ARTHUR & CO., PRINTERS AND STATIONER; 

No. 39 NASSAU AND 56 LIBERTY STREETS. 

1859. 



INTRODUCTION. 

I HAVE been repeatedly solicited to prepare a popular 
work on the mineral fountains of Saratoga Springs, and to 
point out the places of interest within the limits of the county 
of Saratoga. This I have endeavored to do, and the work is 
respectfully submitted to the public, by the 

AUTHOE. 

Saratoga Springs, 1859. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859, 
By R. L. ALLEN, 
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Northern District of New-York. \ 



^'-' 






HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 



CHAPTER I. 

Saratoga. — This is an Indian word of the Iroquois 
language. And the inflections oga and aga are local 
phrases and only mean place. And in the same sense 
the inflection aga is used in the words On-ond-aga and 
Sac-and-aga.* But what meaning the Indians attached 
to the inflections ^ar-<2^ or Sar-agh, in the word Sar-at- 
oga or Sar-agh-oga,t we have not been able to learn. 
We know of the locality to which they applied the word 
Saraghtoga, that it was a tract of land lying from forty 
to fifty miles north from Albany, on the west bank of 
the Hudson river.t 

There was doubtless a significancy in the name, for 
the region was held in high estimation by its immediate 
occupants, and its merits were not unknown to sur- 
rounding tribes, as its traditionary history, so far as it 
has been discovered, fully assures us ; and as is also 
shown by the public proceedings which were had in ref- 
erence to it, during the early settlements of the county. 

This peculiar tract of country, Vvhich was of so much 
importance to a people in a primitive state of society, lost 

* Hemy R. Scliooleraft's letter to the author. 

t In some of the dialects the inflection " Saragh," means salt. If this 
is the meaning, Saraghtoga would mean the place of salt springs. 
t Documentary History of N. Y., vol. i., p. 156. 



4 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

none of its great value by being transferred to an enlight- 
ened nation. Wild forests spread over a varied land- 
scape, consisting of table-lands, vrhich sloped gently 
toward the banks of the rivers ; while mountain ridges 
raised their bold fronts in the distant background, and 
gave origin to the multiplied rivulets, creeks, and streams, 
which traverse in circuitous IIkcs the whole face of the 
country, where many a mirrored lake lay sweetly re- 
posing in the midst of the table-lands, and as so many 
eyes in the face of the landscape, imparted life and 
beauty to its features. 

Such a country as this could not but be well calcu- 
lated to supply with food a race of men like the Indians 
of North America. 

The mountain ranges and table-lands were well sup- 
plied with moose, deer, wolves, bears, foxes, rabbits, and 
birds ; the rivers also furnished a great variety of fish 
and water fowl ; and the productive soil gave them am- 
ple returns for all the seed committed to its bosom. 
"With little care, therefore, and only pleasurable exertion, 
were the Indians of this region furnished with food, in 
an abundance and variety not undesirable to civilized 
man of the present period. So also the pelts of the 
deer, the wolf, the fox, and the bear, furnished ample 
protection for their persons, against the greatest severi- 
ties of this climate. 

On the introduction of civilized man to these wilds, 
they were found to be no less adapted to his wants and 
necessities, than they had been to his savage predeces- 
sors. They furnished him as much food as they had 
previously done the Indian. And in addition he made 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. O 

highways, by means of which he penetrated the inte- 
rior of the country, and gathered up the rich furs and 
skins which were so abundant throughout this wide 
domain. These rich products he bore away to the great 
marts of trade in his little water craft ; on his return 
trip loading his boat with all kinds of implements and 
food necessary for the white man, but which were not 
supplied in the interior. Thus all the appliances neces- 
sary for the development of the country soon found their 
way along the rivers far into the interior of the forest. 
And the waterfalls which had so long remained undis- 
turbed, rapidly became active agents in reducing this 
immense country from its wilderness state to the habi- 
tation of a civilized people. 

And when the agriculturist first made his invest- 
ments in this new country, we find he selected the very 
sites which had been previously occupied by the abo- 
riginal inhabitants. And the wild forest which sup- 
plied the Indian with objects of the chase, furnished 
the civilized man with the variety of lumber necessary 
to construct his houses, enclose his farms, and build his 
ships. These facts remind us that the real wants of 
man in the different conditions of society, are to be sup- 
plied from the same source, and perhaps, after all, are 
not so very unlike as some persons may he willing to 
believe. 



Early Settlement. — In the year 1687, the French 
in Canada had collected six or seven hundred Indian 
warriors about them for the purpose of religious in- 
structions, and to increase their military strength. Jt 



6 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

was an inducement for these Indians to leave their new 
allies on the bank of the St. Lawrence, and possess 
themselves of the rich plains of Saratoga, and thus 
make themselves allies of England instead of France, 
that Grov. Dongan obtained and tendered to them this 
tract of land, at that time owned by a gentleman in 
Albany, to whom it had been secured by patent ; ^ a 
result very desirable to the English interest at that 
time. 

Settlements were made by the whites from time to 
time, along the banks of the rivers, and the shores of 
the lakes, lying between the bay of New- York and 
the rich bottom-lands in the valley of the St. Lawrence. 
The English settlements were made as far up the river 
as Lydius, now Fort Edward, in Washington county, 
where they constructed a fort, built saw-mills, and 
manufactured lumber of various kinds. They had also 
supplied themselves with goods, provisions, and cattle, 
which were rarely to be obtained by the early settlers 
in North America. This prosperity was to be of short 
duration. In 1742, information was conveyed by one of 
M. Picquet's detachments, that the English were push- 
ing their settlements up to Lake St. Sacrament, and at 
the same time were making warlike preparations at 
'' Sarasto."t 

The French general, on receiving this information, 
dispatched a body of troops under the command of M. 
Marin, accompanied by Father Picquet. This detach- 
ment fell upon the settlement, burnt the fort at Lydius, 

* Documentary History of N. Y., vol. i., p. 155. 
t Saratoga. 



HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 7 

and several saw-mills, with the timber attached ; took 
the stock of supplies and all the cattle which they found, 
along fifteen leagues of settlement, and one hundred and 
forty-five prisoners, without having a single French sol- 
dier killed or wounded.^ 

Sir William Johnson writes to the hoard of trade, that 
he is building a fort on Lake St. Sacrament, but which 
he will call Lake G-ftorge, not only in honor of his maj- 
esty, but to establish the dominion of the king.t " I 
received," says G-ov. Clinton, " an account, on the 19th 
inst,, by express from Albany, that a party of French 
and their Indians had cut off* a settlement in this prov- 
ince called Saraghtoge, about fifty miles from Albany, 
and that about twenty houses with a fort were burnt to 
ashes, thirty persons were killed and scalped, and about 
sixty were taken prisoners."! 

This campaign prevented farther efforts at settlement 
until after the conclusion of peace between the French 
and English, in 1748. 

Patents v/ere granted at an early day by the sover- 
eign of Great Britain. One of the earliest grants of 
this kind was the Yan Schaick patent. This grant 
included the present town of Waterford. The Saratoga 
patent was the next in order of time, and contained a 
tract of land six miles square, and lying on the banks 
of the Hudson river, north of Van Schaick's patent. 
The Apple patent was granted to "William Apple, and 
lay along the Mohawk river, extending '' three miles 

* Documentary History of N. Y., vol. i., p. 429. 

tLondon Documents, xxxi., p. 178. 

t London Documents, xxvii., pp. 87, 235, 30th Nov., 1745. 



8 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

back into the woods." But the most important grant 
which was made in this section of country was the 
Kayaderosseras patent. This patent was granted to 
thirteen individuals, and embraced a large proportion 
of the tract now lying within the limits of Saratoga 
county. 

On the 26th day of August, 1702, a grant of land 
was executed by two Indians nam5d " Te-yon-nin-ho-ge 
and De-ron-oeh-rak-has, Maquas Indians, owners and 
native proprietors of the land," to David Schuyler and 
Robert Livingston, junior, citizens of the city of Al- 
bany. 

Samson Shelton Broughton, Esq., bought for himself 
and company a license to purchase the tract of vacant 
and unappropriated land in the county of Albany, called 
Kayaderosseras, " adjoining to the north bounds of 
Schenectady, on the east side thereof, to the west bounds 
of Saratoga, on the north side thereof, and to Albany 
river, on the west side thereof, of the native Indians and 
proprietors thereof, for their cultivation and improve- 
ment." '' April 22d, 1703." 

On the sixth day of October, 1704, in pursuance of 
the above-mentioned license, a purchase was effected 
by Samson Shelton Broughton, Esq., Attorney-General 
of the Province, Peter Fauconnier, Esq., late Commis- 
sioner of the Customs, and Nanning Hermanse Yisher, 
of the city of Albany, mariners, for themselves and the 
company, of the Indians, Joseph Hendrick, Cornelius, 
Gideon and Ames, native Maquas Indians and Sachems, 
in behalf of themselves and all their nation, for and in 
consideration of the sum of sixty pounds ($150), cur- 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. \) 

rent money of the Province of New- York, and of sundry- 
goods to them paid in hand." 

In the year 1683, the county of Albany was organ- 
ized. At this date Albany embraced ail the territory of 
New- York, lying north of Ulster on the west, and 
Dutchess on the east side of the Hudson river. During 
the continuance of this jurisdiction four townships were 
organized north of the Mohawk, and west of the Hud- 
son river, viz. : Half moon, Stillwater, Saratoga, and 
Ballston. Eighty-five years after the organization of 
the county of Albany, there were but ten counties in 
the State of New- York, viz. : New- York, Westchester, 
Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Albany, Richmond, Kings, 
Queens, and Suffolk. 

In the year 1791, or one hundred and eight years 

after the organization of the county of Albany, the 

county of Saratoga was taken from that part of Albany 

county lying north of the Mohawk and west of the 

Hudson rivers. Its greatest length from north to south 

is forty miles, and its greatest width from east to west 

is twenty-eight miles. It lies between 42° 46', and 43° 

23' north latitude, and 3° 21" and 2° 47' east longitude 

from "Washington, and contains eight hundred square 

miles. It is bounded on the north by the Hudson river 

and the county of Warren ; on the west by the counties 

of Franklin, Montgomery, and Schenectady; on the 

south by Schenectady county, and the Mohawk river, 

which separates it from the county of Albany, and on 

the east by the Hudson river, which separates it from 

the counties of Rensselaer and Washinsjton. 

This county is now divided into twenty townships. 
1# 



10 HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 

The names of each, and the date of their respective or- 
ganizations, are as follows, to wit : 

Ballston, organized in the year 1788. The first set- 
tlement was made in this town in 1763, by two brothers 
of the name of McDonald. The town derives its name 
from the Rev. Eliphalet Ball, who, with a number of his 
congregation, from Bedford, Westchester county, settled 
about two and a half miles south of the springs. Balls- 
ton Centre, East Line, Burnt Hills, and South Ballston, 
have post-offices. 

Halfmoon, lying on the Hudson, was organized in 
1788. Crescent, Halfmoon, and Mechanicsville, have 
post-offices. 

Saratoga and Stillwater were organized also in 1788. 
Saratoga has a river margin on the east, the beautiful 
Lake of Saratoga on the west, and the winding stream 
of Fish Creek coursing its way from the shores of the 
lake to the banks of the Hudson at Schuylerviile ; these, 
with its undulating surface and productive soil, make 
it one of the most iateresting townships in Saratoga 
county. Schuylerviile was the residence of General 
Schuyler, whose mansion and surrounding buildings 
were destroyed under Greneral Burgoyne in 1777. The 
place where Greneral Burgoyne surrendered his sword 
to Greneral Gates is said to be a short distance north of 
the site of the old Schuyler mansion, on which stands 
the dwelling-house now occupied by George Strover, 
Esq. Coveville, Dean's Corners, Grangerville, Schuy- 
lerviile, Quaker Springs, and Victory Mills, have post- 
offices. 

Stillwater is also on the west bank of the Hudson 
river, and south of Saratoga. The village of Mechanics- 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 11 

ville is situated partly in this town and partly in Half- 
nioon. About four miles above Mechanicsville, and on 
the Champlain canal, is Stillwater village. In this 
town are Bemis Heights, the scene of the engagement 
between Burgoyne and General Gates, in 1777, so 
famous in Revolutionary annals, and on which hung 
results so important in their bearing upon the great 
struggle between Great Britain and her Colonies. Mr. 
J. Walker's house is two and a half miles from Patter- 
son's tavern, and two miles from the Hudson river. A 
few rods south of this house is the " meadow" on which 
General Frazer fell, mortally wounded. It is a little 
west of the road which now runs north and fcouth di- 
rectly past the place. Near the spot where Frazer fell, 
is the common grave of forty soldiers, whose bodies were 
committed to their final resting-place after the engage- 
ment. But about sixty rods in a southwest direction 
was the scene of the main action, which occurred on 
the 7th of October, 1777. The post-offices are Bemis 
Heights, Ketchum's Corners, and Stillwater. 

Charlton. — In the year 1792, Charlton, Galway, and 
Milton, were taken from Ballston and organized as town- 
ships in Saratoga county. Charlton has post-offices at 
Charlton and West Charlton. 

Galway has East Galway, Galway, Mosherville, 
Whiteside's Corners, North Galway, and South Galway, 
as post-offi^.es. 

Milton, Rock City Mills, West Milton, and Ballston. 
The latter is the county-seat of Saratoga county. It 
was incorporated in 1807. The village is situated 
thirty miles north from Albany, twenty-four from 
Troy, fifteen from Schenectady, and seven south- 



12 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

west from Saratoga Springs. The village of Ballston is 
situated in a valley, and is built on either side of the 
small stream which is a branch of the Kayaderosseras 
creek. Within the limits of the village are the Mineral 
fountains, some of which at one time had a high reputa- 
tion for their medicinal qualities ; and large numbers of 
strangers annually resorted to them for their healing 
virtues. But, from the nature of one of the substrata 
which underlie the village, and through which its min- 
eral water percolates, it has been found difficult to secure 
it at all times in its best forms, and consequently the 
springs of this pleasant village, which, in times past, 
were so justly celebrated, have ceased to be used either 
at the fountains or for bottling. It is well supplied with 
churches and hotels ; and the fact that it contains the 
public buildings of the county, adds not a little interest 
to the village. 

The mineral fountains in this village were discovered 
in the year 1767. In 1772, a gentleman by the name 
of Douglass built a log house for the accommodation of 
strangers who resorted hither for the benefit of the 
mineral water. 

During the Revolutionary War, the farther develop- 
ments of the town were suspended ; but about the year 
1790, Mr. Douglass enlarged his former accommodations 
for the increased number of strangers. 

In the year 1804, Nicholas Low erected the present 
Sans-Souci hotel ; it is built of wood, is three stories 
high ; main building one hundred and sixty feet long, 
and wings one hundred and fifty feet. 

G-REENFiELD was takcu from Saratoga and Milton in 
1793. West G-reenfield, Grreenfield Centre, Porter's Cor- 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 13 

ners, North Greenfield, Mount Pleasant, and Middle 
G-rove, have post-offices. 

Providence was organized in 1796. It was taken from 
the town of Galway. Providence, West Providence, 
and Barkersville, have post-offices. 

Northumberland is situated on the hanks of the Hud- 
son river. It was taken from Saratoga in 1798. Ganse- 
voort and Northumberland are the post-offices. 

Edinburgh and Hadley were orsranized in 1801. The 
former was taken from Providence, and has post-offices 
at Edinburgh and at Batchelorville. The latter was 
taken from Greenfield and Northumberland, and has 
post-offices at Hadley and West Hadley. 

In 1802, Malta was taken from Stillwater. Malta- 
ville and Malta have post-offices in this town. 

Moreau is a pleasant and flourishing township lying on 
the banks of the Hudson river. This stream bounds the 
town on the northeast and on the northwest. It was 
taken from the town of Northumberland in the year 
1805. Moreau Station, Fortsville, and South Glens 
Falls, have post-offices. 

Waterford was organized in 1816. It is pleasantly 
situated at the confluence of the Mohawk with the Hud- 
son river. Waterford is a pleasant village, and for many 
years was the business village of the county ; but canals 
and railroads have diminished its importance, and its 
trade is now inconsiderable. 

In 1818, Corinth and Wilton were organized. The 
former was taken from Hadley ; Corinth, formerly call- 
ed Jessup's Landing, is a small village : it and South 
Corinth have a post-office ; the latter was taken from 
Northumberland. Wilton is the post-office. 



14 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

Day and Saratoga Springs were organized in 1819. 
The former was taken from Edinburgh and Hadley, and 
occupies the northwest part of the county. Day and 
West Day are the names of its post-ofFices. 

Saratoga Springs, in the centre of the county, is sec- 
ond to no inland village in the State. Its hotels are 
spacious and elegant, and its churches are large, com- 
modious, and elaborate in finish. Many of the private 
residences are very handsome, and the number is annu- 
ally increasing in and about the village, of such as be- 
long to gentlemen who have retired upon their fortunes ; 
but the mineral fountains are the great attraction of 
the village. They are numerous, but few of them have 
been sufficiently secured to render the water suitable 
for bottling and exportation. This village is one hun- 
dred and eighty-one miles from New-York city, and 
thirty-six and a half from Albany. It is beautifully 
situated three hundred feet above tide water. The 
Kayaderosseras Mountain, two thousand feet above the 
level of the sea, raises its summit within ten or twelve 
miles of the village, on the west and north ; while the 
G-reen Mountains stretch along the eastern horizon at a 
distance of about twenty miles ; the high ranges of the 
Catslvill skirt the extreme south. The surroundinsf 
country is well watered ; the atmosphere is dry and 
highly electrified ; the climate entirely unlike that of 
Boston, New- York, and the whole seaboard, as those 
well know, who have been exposed to a sixty days' east 
wind on our northeastern coasts. The village is very 
accessible by means of railroads. Its mineral water is 
sui generis. It is an article of commerce, and the civil- 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. ' 15 

ized world are customers ; and many thousand persons 
annually bear testimony to its happy medicinal effects, 
when drank at the fountains. 

Clifton Park was the last town organized in 
the county. It was taken from Halfmoon in 1828. 
Rexford's Flats, Clifton Park, Yischer's Ferry, Jones- 
ville, G-room's Corners, and Dry Dock, are post-offices in 
this town. 



CHAPTER II. 

Sir William Johnson was the first white man who 
visited these springs, and the first civilized person who 
applied them as a remedial agent. It is true that Mi- 
chael McDonald, a Scotchman, who had previously set- 
tled at Ballston Lake, was one of Johnson's party, and 
must have been at the High Rock at the same time 
with the baronet and his Indian guides ; but we have 
no information of his having previously visited them, 
although he had settled so near them. And his visit at 
this time, was at the instance of Johnson, who, with 
his party, had stayed the previous night at McDonald's 
house. Johnson's visit was caused by an indisposition, 
which so far disabled him that he was unfit to travel 
over the rude passes which then lay between this and 
Johnstown. And we are informed that the Indians 
bore him in a litter from Johnstown, in Montgomery 
county, along the banks of the Mohawk to Schenectady, 
and thence, by Ballston Lake, to this place, at that time a 
wilderness. Here he stayed some time, used the water, 
and so far recovered his health that he returned to Johns- 



16 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

town, by the way of Schenectady, on foot. His cure was 
attributed, by him and his friends, to the water which 
he drank from the High Rock spring. He being a pub- 
lic man, his cure induced other white people from the 
adjacent settlements to visit the spring, and for them- 
selves to try its virtue. And the sick and the curious 
could be very often seen winding their solitary way 
toward this health-giving fountain, along the trails 
which led from settlements in old Saratoga, in the 
vicinity of Snake Hill, and back into the wild forest of 
Palmertown, now the town of Wilton. 

So important had these fountains become, in 1773, 
that one Dirick Scowton was induced to remove to 
them, clear away a piece of ground, on the top of the 
hill in the rear of the High Rock spring, and build a log 
cabin. But before he had completed his rude tenement, 
he is said to have had a misunderstandins: with the In- 
dians who were living about the springs, and found it 
for his interest and personal safety to abandon his en- 
terprise, which he did accordingly. 

In the year 1774, one John Arnold, from the State of 
Rhode Island, with his family, arrived on the east shore 
of Saratoga Lake. Here he heard such accounts of the 
mineral springs, and the land about them, that he was 
induced to continue his journey thus much farther. 
After having supplied himself with articles suitable for 
trading with the Indians, he procured a canoe, put on 
board his family, his little stock in trade, together with 
provisions and some furniture, and paddled from Snake 
Hill across tht lake, and entered the mouth of the 
Kayaderosseras creek. This stream he followed about 
two miles, where he landed ; and he and his family, 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 17 

taking his goods and household furniture on their hacks, 
entered upon a trail which they followed to the mineral 
springs. On arriving here, he took possession of the 
house previously huilt hy Scowton, and having im- 
proved it, opened it as a tavern, and occupied it two 
summers, leaving it the intervening winter. After the 
second summer he abandoned it. 

Its next occupant was Samuel Norton, who took pos- 
session of the house the same season in which Arnold 
left it, and made farther improvements in it. The fol- 
lowing year he cleared and cultivated as well as he 
could, the land about him. Norton acted under the pa- 
tronage of Isaac Law, who had previously obtained a 
title to the land, by purchase from Rip Yan Dam. In 
this purchase Law was associated with Anthony Yan 
Dam and Jacob Walton. The troubles with Great 
Britain having now commenced, Norton became con- 
cerned for the safety of himself and family in their ex- 
posed situation ; he therefore abandoned the improve- 
ments that he had made, united himself with the 
British army, and soon after died. His death left the 
springs again without a white inhabitant. Law left the 
country during the Revolution, and his property was 
confiscated. 

In 1786, Henry Livingston purchased of the commis- 
sioners of forfeiture, for himself and brothers, the land 
and improvements which had previously belonged to 
Law. 

In 1783, a son of Norton removed to the springs, 
took possession of the property previously occupied by 
his father, and prosecuted the improvements already 



18 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

"begun, until the year 1787, when he sold to Gideon 
Morgan, who the same year conveyed it to Alexander 
Bryan. Bryan built a blacksmith's shop, and an addi- 
tional log house which he opened as a tavern. Bryan, 
we are informed, was born in Connecticut. At an early 
day he removed to Dutchess county, in this State ; 
thence to Halfmoon, two miles from Waterford, now in 
this county, and finally to Saratoga Springs. And at 
the latter place he kept a tavern. During the revolu- 
tionary struggle he was at Halfmoon, and, strange as it 
may appear, he is said to have been a favorite with both 
parties ; and so well did he manage the matters of dif- 
ference, that he became the confidant of both parties, 
and the repository of their secrets. He was employed 
as a spy by both Gates and Burgoyne. While the latter 
lay with his forces at Fort Edward, he communicated 
to General Gates the fact that Burgoyne had crossed 
the river, and was marching his army toward Still- 
water. This information was considered at the time 
important to the American army. Bryan was the first 
permanent settler at the springs after the close of the war. 

Gideon Putnam, the son of Rufus and Mary Putnam, 
was born in the town of Sutton, in the State of Massa- 
chusetts, in the year 1764. Before his majority he pur- 
chased his time of his father for one hundred dollars. 
He then married Miss Doanda Risley at Hartford, 
Conn., daughter of Benjamin Risley. He immediately 
set out " to seek his fortune ;" his only means of sup- 
port for himself and wife, being a strong arm and a 
determined will. The route they took led them to 
Middlebury, Vt. Here, in the midst of the wilderness 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 19 

they halted, and rudely threw together a log cabin. 
This cahia was built around a white oak stump which 
was squared upon the top, and served them as a table. 
The cabin was without a chimney. Their seats were 
made with three legs of wood placed in a piece of tim- 
ber riven from a log. The site of this cabin is now oc- 
cupied by the Middlebury college buildings. Their 
household possessions consisted of three white teacups 
and saucers, three white plates, three knives and forks, 
a dish-kettle, an earthen tea-pot and a spider. They 
cut out the top of a stump deeply concave, and then 
mounted a heavy sweep which turned a wooden pestle, 
fitted to the excavation in the stump. This homely ap- 
paratus was the mill in which they ground their grain. 
There was a "grist-mill" forty miles from them, but a 
dense forest lay between, and blazed trees pointed out 
the way. Their oldest child was born at Middlebury. 
Not finding this situation quite to their minds, they re- 
moved to Rutland, Vt. While at Rutland their eldest 
son Benjamin Putnam was born. Fron* Rutland they 
removed to the "Five Nations" or " Bemis Flats." 
Here they were joined by Dr. Clement Blakesly and his 
wife, who was a sister of Mrs. Putnam. The lay of 
the country, the quality of the soil, and the appearance, 
of the timber, suited him; and at once he put up a 
cabin, which was occupied by his brother-in-law and 
himself, with their families, together with a hired man 
by the name of Elijah Olds. At Bemis Flats the ele- 
ments warred against them, and proved more than a 
match for even Putnam's strength and energy. A 
violent rain-storm fell upon them in the middle of the 
night, which flooded the surrounding country, and drove 



20 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

the hardy pioneers with their wives and little ones, on 
to their beds, furniture, &c., out of the reach of the 
water, which covered the cabin floor ; without, as far as 
they could see, was one vast sheet of water. In this 
condition was this bold, vigorous, and determined man 
caged, and unable to extricate himself or his household. 
Yet in the midst of all this darkness and distress they 
were thought of and cared for. A good man by the 
name of Zophar Scidmore, living on the east shore of 
the lake, knew that some emigrants had commenced 
a farm on the ''flats." And being acquainted with 
the situation of their cabin, he felt sure they must be 
in suffering, if not dangerous circumstances, he there- 
fore loosed his sail-boat, and taking a light canoe in 
tow, made all possible haste to their rescue. On 
Hearing the cabin he fastened his sail-boat to some 
float wood which lay piled upon the bank, and rowed 
his canoe up to the door of the cabin, and conveyed 
first Mrs. Putnam and her young child to his sail-boat ; 
after securing them safely, he returned to the cabin for 
Mr. Putnam, whom he also rowed to the sail-boat. Here 
Scidmore joined Mrs. Putnam, and conveyed her to his 
own house. After safely disposing of his passengers, 
he returned to the flood wood, whither during* his ab- 
sence the remainder of the family had been conveyed 
in the canoe by Putnam. Reloading his little craft 
with Mrs. Blakesly, and the other child, he returned to 
his house ; and in the course of the day, he had rescued 
the whole family, and had them safely lodged under his 
most hospitable roof. This calamity induced Putnam 
to abandon his improvements at " Bemis Flats." And 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 21 

after the storm was over, he, with his family, and, in 
company with Dr. and Mrs. Blakesly, left the house of 
their henefactor, and entered an Indian trail, which 
they followed to the " Springs," then scarcely known ; 
this occurred in the year 1789. On arriving at what 
is now the village of Saratoga Springs, he selected a 
piece of land, near a fresh- water spring, and built a 
cabin. This land is now owned by Joel Clement. And 
the site of the cabin is a few rods to the east of 
Clement's stone house, in the west part of the village. 

On reviewing his position at Saratoga, Putnam said 
to his wife, " This is a healthy place, the mineral 
springs are valuable, and the timber is good and in 
great abundance, and I can build me a great liouf^e^'^ 
a desire which had haunted him from childhood. He 
at once leased three hundred acres of land, girdled the 
trees about him, and put in his crops, and when he 
could not work upon his farm, he employed himself and 
his man, who remained with him for years, in making 
staves and shingles : these he carried to the Hudson 
river, at the mouth of Fish creek. The ensuing spring 
he put them into a raft, and floated them to New-York 
city. At the city he met with a ready sale, and re- 
turned with means to build a saw-mill. On his return 
, to his farm, he found a new neighbor by the name of 
'William Patching, who was a wheelwright by trade. 
With the assistance of Patching, he soon had his mill 
in successful operation, and kept it running night and 
day. This was situated southv/est from his house, and 
the pond belonging to it has been known to many gen- 
erations of boys of the village, and, indeed, is still fa- 



22 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. i 

miliar to the present race as " Put's Pond," and has 
been a favorite swimming-place ever since. Dr. 
Blakesly built a log-house v^here Benjamin Putnam for 
many years resided. The next spring Putnam's savvied 
lumber, added to his staves and shingles, made him a 
large raft, which he floated to the city. Building mate- 
rials being scarce, and the demand for them being great 
in the city of New- York, he realized a handsome sum 
for his year's labor. With the funds thus realized, he 
clothed himself and family, provided a great variety of 
necessaries, and brought home besides ''one peck meas- 
ure of silver coin," in an old-fashioned pair of saddle- 
bags. "With this money he paid for the three hundred 
acres of land which he had previously held by a lease. 
But his new garments so changed his personal appear- 
ance that his wife did not know him on his return. 
One fancy article which he brought back with him from 
his voyage, was a red silk umbrella, which his eldest 
daughter flourished on the ensuing Sunday. Near the 
saw-mill pond was the " Indian- Joefield," which had 
been cleared and cultivated by the Indians. Q'his field, 
Putnam used to great advantage, and some of the h^rbs 
now growing there are said to have been originally 
planted on the place by the Indians. This farm is now,; 
in the possession of James M. Andrews, Esq. 

The. third year after Putnam and Blakesly built 
their cabins on opposite sides of the road, Blakesly 
left, and Putnam enlarged the cabin built by Blakes- 
ly, and occupied it himself. From this cabin Putnam 
removed back into what is the present village, and oc- 
cupied for the year the house now owned by Thadeus 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 23 

Smith. He then moved into a log cabin, which stood 
upon the spot where the St. Nicholas Hall has been re- 
cently built by one of his descendants. While living 
here, and in the year 1802, he purchased of Henry 
Walton one acre of land, removed a few of the primi- 
tive trees, and then built seventy feet of the present 
Union Hall.* His mechanics lodged in the attic of the 
cabin, to which they went up on the outside by a lad- 
der, and their table was set outside of the cabin. The 
spot was then in the midst of the forest, and so large a 
building was a novel thing for the time. A wagon way 
had been made at this time, between Saratoga and 
Ballston, and just as Putnam had his house completed, 
some gentlemen riding past, and observing the house, 
said, in the hearing of Putnam, " That man has forgot- 
ten the admonition of John Rogers, ' Build not your 
house-top too high.' " This house was the realization of 
the day-dreams of Putnam's childhood. t In 1805, he 
purchased from Henry Walton, another strip of land, 
wjiich was forty-four rods wide and *four hundred and 
JJpeventy-two rods and seven feet Icmg, and extended from 

ithe east side of what is now Franklin street to the lands 
of Jacobus Barhyte. This tract contained one hundred 
' and thirty acres. On the west end of this purchase he 

=* This building, wibh its wings, is 650 feet in length, and contains 
about 400 lodging-rooms ; and the grounds occupied by the buildings 
and appropriated to the use of the hotel, are in area about four acres. 

t His sign was a rudely-painted representation of Putnam and the 
wolf, and is now in the possession of his grandson, George R. Putnam, 
I The tavern was on the site of the present Union Hall, now owned and 
occupied by his descendants. 



24 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 



laid out a village. In the southwest corner of this vil- 
lage, being a portion of the last purchase, he appropria- 
ted a piece of land for a burying-ground. This ground 
he afterward gave to the village, and in it many of the 
" forefathers of the hamlet sleep." 

In 1806, he excavated and tubed the Washington 
Spring. Soon after this he tubed the present Colum- 
bian Spring. The number of strangers began now to 
increase annually at the Springs, some of whom would 
come up from Ballston, take dinner with Putnam at 
Union Hall, drink the Congress water, and return to 
Ballston. At this time, Putnam thought a bathing 
house was needed. He therefore built one on the ground 
directly north from Congress Spring, and six or eight 
feet from the fountain. To supply mineral water for 
this purpose, he excavated a m.ineral spring about fif- 
teen feet from the present Congress fountain. 

Putnam next tubed the Hamilton Spring, and some- 
time afterward moved his bathing house from Con- 
gress Spring to the Hamilton. In 1811, he began 
Congress Hall ;* whift his masons were plastering th4 



* In tlie year 1814, Congress Hall property was purchased by 
Grandtis Van Sclioonlioven, and, in "1815, lie finished the buildinjs ac- 
cording to the plan of Mr. Putnam, and oi^ened the house for the recep- 
tion of company. Mr. Van Schoonhovcn kept the house until 1822, 
when he associated with him, in business, his nephew, Samael H. 
Drake, Esq. - The ensuing year, the company was still farther extended 
by the addition of John E. Beekman, and John McDougal Lawrence, 
as silent partners. From the year 1823, the house was leased from 
time to time, until 1855, "Vhen Henry H. Hawthorn and Harvey P, 
Hall, purchased the property of Z. V. Kingsley, Esq., one of the de- 
scendants of Mr. Van Schoonhoven. 

Messrs. Hawthorn & Hall, greatly extended and improved the hous' 



j HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 25 

north end of the piazza, he was walking upon the scaf- 
|! folding, which at the moment gave way, and the whole 
|! party were precipitated on to the timbers and rocks be- 
plow, the floor not having yet been laid. The master- 
mason, Sullard, died instantly, his neck being broken. 
All the masons who fell were more or less injured. 
Putnam had some of his ribs broken, was otherwise 
bruised, and was confined to his bed for several weeks 
after the accident. It is supposed he never entirely re- 
covered from the injuries which he sustained by the 
fall. In the ensuing November he was attacked by an 
inflammation of his lungs, of which he died on the first 
day of December, 1812. His was the first body laid in 
the burying-ground which he had presented to the vil- 
lage of Saratoga Springs. Thus ended the earthly ca- 
reer of this hardy, resolute, and enterprising pioneer, 
whose labors were so interwoven with the early history 
of the place. 

It was to Putnam that we are indebted, more than to 
any other individual, for improvements at the Springs, 
during this period of its history. His enterprise and 
1 

) by adding a brick wing, wbich, at'lts^ eastern end is six stories high 
; and extends from the old building east on the south side of Bath street, 

to Putnam street. They also altered many of the old rooms, and fur- 
' nished the whole building in modern style. In 1857, Richard McMi- 
V chael, Esq., purchased Harvey P. Hall's interest in the property, and 
/ the company made another addition to the building, so that, at the 

present time, (1859), it is one of the largest hotels in the country, and 

as well furnished. 

The grounds extend on Broadway 379 feet, and east on Bath street to 

the west line of Putnam street. And the proximity of the hotel to the 

(Congress Spring and its truly beautiful park, makes it one of the most 
desirable summer resorts in Saratoga. 
2 



26 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

/i 

energy cleared away the forest-trees from the adja- l| 
cent plains, converted the rich pineries into materials j 
and means for the further development of the town 
erected public buildings for the accommodation of visit-^i 
ors, opened highways about the town, improved and » 
laid out streets in the village ; excavated, tubed and 
secured the mineral springs. These were among his 
early efforts. He was emphatically the man of his day | 
in this locality, and he made such an impression on the i| 
place of his choice, that his name must be co-existent I 
with the history of the village, which his energy did so j 
much to develop. He possessed a will which no ordi- 
nary obstacle could long withstand, and by his exertions 
the din and hum of civilization soon took the place of 
the deep and solemn murmur of the primitive pine 
forest. 

Originally a rocky ledge lay along the bluff which 
faced the valley. This ledge began at the Columbian 
Spring, thence running in a northeasterly line to the 
south side of Congress street. From this point it took i 
a more northerly direction, passing over the ground J 
now occupied by the Congress Hall, and the present L^ 
row of buildings north of it, on the east side of Broad- ^; 
way, until it reaches the spot on which Nathan Lewis ' 
built the second brick house ever erected in the place. } 
This house is still in good preservation, and is now oc- a 
cupied by Greorge H. Fish, as a drug store. From this V 
point, the rock dipped toward the north with so strong 
an angle, that, at a distance of only seven or eight rods, 
a well was sunk to the depth of thirty feet and yet did ' 
not come to the rock. Through a deep gorge in the 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 27 

table-land, leading to the valley near what is now Caro- 
line street, passed the surface and spring water of the 
I gradually rising land which lies in the rear ; to pass 
this gorge, the wagon road from the Congress Spring to 
the High Rock was made to run westerly nearly as far 
as the Grlobe Hotel. After passing the gorge, Ihe road 
took a more easterly turn to the upper village. From 
the upper village, this road passed through the Ten 
Springs ; thence easterly on the sandy ridge north of the 
*' Bear Swamp " to Scidmore's tavern ; from Scidmore's 
(now Birch's), to Grangerville, and to Schuylerville, on 
the Hudson river. This was the original road over 
which was passed all the lumber of these extensive 
pineries. Just above the present Columbian Hotel, this 
rocky bluff again appears, and extends to the sandy 
ridge north of the upper village. So barren was this 
ridge of rocks, that only a few shrubs and cicuta grew 
upon it. 

Miles Beach moved here from Ballston, about the 
year 1806. He built a store on the site of the brick 
buildings next north from Congress Hall, on the east 
side of Broadway. This was the first store opened in 
this part of the village. Afterward Beach built a dis- 
tillery on the back part of the same lot. The first brick 
house in the place was built by Ashabel Andrews. This 
same building stands on the south corner of Washing- 
ton street and Broadway, and was the late residence of 
the Rev. Francis Wayland.* Nathan Lewis afterward 
built the Pavilion, which was opened May 26th, 1819 ; 

* Since this work has been in press, the building has been demol- 
ished. 



28 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

it stood on the east side of Broadway, and north from 
the Columbian Hotel. The Pavilion was surrounded 
by handsome grounds, on which have since been built 
the present Presbyterian church and the residence of D. 
B. Harrington, Esq. The Pavilion was destroyed by 
fire several years since. 

The first clearing in the south part of the village 
was made by " Indian Jo/' a half-breed, on the rising 
ground south of the Union. ' 

In 1783, the springs had become so important that , 
General Philip Schuyler opened a road to them, 
twelve miles through a forest from the mouth of Fish 
creek, where he had effected a settlement, erected mills, 
and made many other improvements. Here he raised a 
tent, under which he and his family remained several 
weeks, and used the mineral water. And so much 
were they pleased with the effects of the water, that 
the next year he built a small house for the use of him- 
self and family during the summer season, which he 
continued to occupy every succeeding year of his life. 
This was the first framed house built in the place. It 
consisted of two rooms, with a stone fireplace and j 
chimney ; and was finished inside and out with rough 
boards. 

In 1823, John Ford built the original part of the 
United States Hotel. Two years after he added the I 
south wing. Afterward it passed into the hands of 
James M. Marvin & Co. This company made annual ' 
improvements in the buildings and grounds. This ho- j 
tel is now one of the most capacious and fashionable 1 
public houses in the country. There are about six 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 29 

acres in the grounds, and it requires a mile and a half 
of roof to cover the buildings. 

The Taylor Brothers, who were the first mer- 
chants in the place, began business at the upper village, 
and also carried on a heavy lumber trade. The Tay- 
lors were active, correct business men, and were more 
or less connected with all the important events belong- 
ing to the early history of the country.* 

"William Waterbury was the son of Josiah and Mary 
Waterbury. He was born in Stamford, Yt, Nov. 24, 
1766. At the age of nineteen years he married Miss 
Anna Crawford. When twenty-one years of age he emi- 
grated with his wife to East line, in the town of Balls- 
ton, Saratoga county. Here he remained two years, and 
then purchased the farm now occupied and owned by 
Elihu Wing, in the town of Grreenfield. Two years 
after he sold this farm, and purchased a farm of one 
hundred acres, which lies next south of what is now 
Congress street, in the west part of the village. For 
this land he paid $3 25 per acre. His deed was exe- 
cuted by Thomas Storms and John K. Beekman, then 
residents of the city of New- York. William and his 
brother Samuel afterward came in possession of a piece 
of land which had been owned by Benjamin Risley, and 
afterward sold by him to Silas Due]. Samuel im- 
proved his part, and occupied it for several years, and 
then sold it to Frederick Ellsworth. A part of the house 
I on the north side of Congress street, now owned and oc- 
\ cupied by Jonathan Pitney, is the original building 
Y which was put on the land by Samuel Waterbury. 

* For a full history of the Taylors, see Steele's Analysis. 



30 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

After the land was sold to Ellsworth, Samuel Water- 
bury removed to Chautauque county. "William Water- 
bury occupied himself with his farm, and made agricul- 
ture his main business, to which he afterward added 
that of a butcher, and supplied the settlement generally 
with their fresh meat. In the winter seasons he was 
employed with his team in hauling lumber for his neigh- 
bors, from the surrounding pineries to the Hudson 
river. Waterbury connected himself with the Baptist 
church in the year 1811. The society was then under 
the care of Rev. E. P. Langworthy, who remained its 
pastor for eighteen consecutive years. Their first house 1] 
of worship was a log building, and stood on Shipman's JJ 
hill, about four miles south of the springs. They next, 
in 1809, built a frame house on the Ellis farm, two 
miles south of the village, which building was re- 
moved up to the village, and is now one of the out- 
buildings of the United States Hotel. Some beauti- 
ful trees standing about eighty rods east of Carri- 
gan's mills, on the south road which leads to the resi- 
dence of Isaac Patrick, mark the place which this 
building occupied. The society continued to meet at 
this place, until 1821, at which time they erected a 
house of worship, on a lot presented to the society 
by G-ideon Putnam's heirs. The present Baptist church 
edifice, completed in 1856, stands on the same spot. 

At the time G-ideon Putnam laid out the village, he 
set apart this site, on which to erect a house of worship,/ ■ 
and directed it to be given to any religious society whoj' 
would place upon it a suitable building. The Baptist] 
society were the first applicants, and it was accordingly] 
deeded to them by the heirs of G-ideon Putnam. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 31 

When William Waterbury first reached the county, 
; he owed the man who moved him seven dollars, and 
j had but two and a half dollars to pay him with. He 
also had a mowing scythe, and a pocket knife. Really 
a small outfit of implements, and not over- well adapted 
to begin life in a forest wilderness. He was elected 
constable, which office he continuously filled for eleven 
years. He died on the 16th July, 1843. 

Hon. Henry Walton, one of the largest land-holders 
of the place, was born in^the city of New- York, on the 
8th day of October, 1768. At the age of twelve years, 
he was sent to England, under the special guardian- 
ship of Peter Van Schaack, Esq., of Kinderhook, for the 
purpose of being educated. In his twentieth year, he 
returned to the city of New- York, and commenced the 
study of law, under the direction of the late Aaron Burr. 
After the conclusion of his legal studies, in the year 
1790, he removed to the town of Ballston, in the county 
of Saratoga, where he had purchased a tract of land, 
and built a house. This place is now known as the 
*' Delavan farm." He remained upon this farm until 
the year 1810, when he sold it to a man by the name 
of Porter, and removed with his family to the city of 
Albany, where he resided until the year 1816 ; at which 
time he removed to the village of Saratoga Springs, and 
took possession of the real estate which he inherited 
from his father, and his uncle, wdio died without issue. 
During his residence in Albany, or in the year 1815, he 
lilt the house now occupied by Chancellor Walworth.^ 
This house he occupied for a few years, when he re- 

* Pine Grove. 



32 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

turned to the city of New-York. After an absence of 
five years, he returned to Saratoga Springs, and imme- ' 
diately erected a beautiful country seat on that part of 
his real estate lying north of the village, to which he 
gave the name of " Wood Lawn." His possessions in j 
this place were bounded by what is now Congress street, 
on the south ; John Denton's farm on the north ; and 
lands of Jacobus Barhydt, and others, on the east. He 
possessed, also, many other tracts of land in other por- 
tions of the county. This tr^ct of land included all the 
present village of Saratoga Springs, except what lies 
south of Congress street, and all the mineral fountains 
lying north of said street, and within the limits above 
described. 

Henry Walton was a tall, fine-looking man ; truly 
gentlemanlike in his manners and feelings, he had the 
faculty of binding to himself in close social ties the edu- 
cated and refined abopt him. He was warmly attached 
to the Episcopal church, and was one of the principal I 
men whose early efforts were brought to bear in behalf t 
of this society at the Springs. To him belongs the 
honor of presenting the site for the first Presbyterian 
edifice built in this place.*' And also the site occupied 
by the Universalist church on Church street. The 
grounds now occupied by the " Broadway Hotel," were 
given to the Methodists by him. He excavated the shaft, 
tubed the Flat-rock Spring, and built over it a chaste 
little Chinese structure, which remained over the foun- 

* The Rev. D. O. Gries wold was the officiating clergyman of this so- 
ciety, at the time the edifice was erected, and to whose efforts the so- 
ciety is largely indebted for its early prosperity and usefulness. 



Hand-book of Saratoga. 33 

tain for many years after his death. He also excavated 
and tubed the President, now called the Iodine Spring. 
Mr. Walton was a man of high culture, and polished 
mind ; with tastes refined by nature, and cultivated by 
travel and observation. He was his own architect, and 
his skill in this branch of art has been illustrated in his 
several residences, at Ballston, Saratoga, G-reenfield, 
" Wood Lawn," and in the " Pavilion Hotel," built by 
Mr. Lewis in the years 1818 and 1819. He died in the 
city of New-York, on the 15th day of September, 1844, 
in the seventy-sixth year of his age. 



CHAPTER III. 

The valley along which the mineral waters of this 
region occur, is more extensive than is generally sup- 
posed. It is first traceable on the banks of the Hudson 
river, in the city of Albany, runs in a northwesterly di- 
rection to the village of Ballston, thence to Saratoga 
Springs ; it then takes a course a little to the east of 
north, and finally in a line north of east, to Argyle, in 
the county of Washington ; a distance, which, by the 
ordinary highways of the country, would probably not 
vary far from sixty miles. The acidulous carbonated 
waters are found at different places along this mineral 
range. It has been discovered by boring in the city of 
Albany, and in Ballston, and Saratoga ; but it generally 
makes its own way to the surface, and all the fountains 
which have become distinguished for their medicinal 

\ qualities, have been thrown to the surface by subterra- 
nean agencies. 

I 2* 



34 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

The Albany well was discovered by Messrs. Boyd and 
McCuUoch, in the year 1826, while boring for fresh 
water for the use of a brewery in Ferry street. This 
boring was carried down four hundred and sixty feet. 
From this depth, the water rose nearly to the surface, 
and was found to have a sparkling appearance, with an 
acid and saline taste. At the same time, another gas 
was detected rising from the well, which was afterwards 
proved to be carburetted hydrogen. The boring was 
then resumed, and continued to the depth of six hun- 
dred feet, while the saline waters, and both the above 
gases, continued to rise from the perforation. The idea 
of obtaining fresh water at this depth was abandoned ; 
but the well was carefully tubed, the gases separated, 
and the saline water impregnated with the carbonic 
acid was raised to the surface by a mechanical pro- 
cess. 

Subsequently, Mr. McCulloch commenced boring a 
second time for fresh water, a few rods from the former 
place. In this instance, at the depth of thirty feet, he 
discovered a vein of mineral water which was highly 
charged with sulpharetted hydrogen gas, and at the re- 
spective depths, as in the previous boring, the car- 
burretted hydrogen and again the carbonic acid gases 
were emitted.^ Thus was presented the singular 
and interesting fact, that, in this locality, at least, 
are to be found sulphuretted hydrogen below carburetted 
hydrogen, and finally carbonic acid gas, all issuing in 
large quantities, but at different depths, from the same 
opening. 

The owners were so well pleased with their discovery 

* Geological Survey. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 35 

that they afterward fitted up a " Mineral Grarden." 
This garden inoladed the mineral fountains, the grounds, 
and adjoining buildings, constructed with the view of 
accommodating large collections of people ; but at the 
present time it has lost its early charms ; the water is 
rarely drank, and the garden, as a place of amusement, 
is abandoned. 

When the water was drawn in large quantities from 
one of the wells, the water in the other fell correspond- 
ingly, thus proving a subterranean connection between 
.e two. The chemical constituents of the water were 
proved to be similar to those of the waters of Saratoga 
and Ballston. The rock in which this water is found, 
is the Hudson river slate. 

The specific gravity of the water w^ith the atmosphere 
at 60° Fah., is 1.00900. Temperature of the well 51° 
to 52°. Two analyses of the same, one by Dr. Mead, 
and the other by Professor Beck, are as follows, in one 
pint of water, viz : 

Grains. Grains. 

Chloride of Sodium 63.00 59.00 

Carbonate of Soda. 5.00 5.00 

Carbonate of Lime 4.00 4.00 

Carbonate of Magnesia .- 2.00 1.50 

Carbonate of Iron and Siiex 1.00 1.00 

Chloride of Calcium 50 

75.00 71.00 
Cubic inches. 
Carbonic Acid Gas 28.00 26.00 

Of the Ballston Fountains, the United States Sjn'ing-, 
the Fulton Chalybeate Spring-^ the Frayiklin Sulphur 
Springs and the Loiv Well, may be, perhaps, mentioned 
as the principal fountains. 



36 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

The amount of gas in the Ballston fountains, and the 
manner of its escape, have varied very much at differ- 
ent times. Sometimes it passes off quietly, and in 
small particles, and the tiny bubbles of gas in rising, 
impart a continuous simmering motion to the surface 
of the water. Again, the gas will rise in large volumes, 
and at intervals, when the water presents by turns a 
surface unruffled, and a strong boiling motion ; and 
once in the history of this place, the gas rose in such 
quantity and with so much force as to produce a jet 
several feet in height. This unusual action lasted but 
a short time, and after it subsided, gas rose, as now, in 
gentle bubbles through the water in the spring, and 
along the stream below the fountain. 

If we pursue the mineral range five miles in a north- 
easterly direction from Ballston, we come to the Ellis 
Spring. This Spring issues from the slate rock which 
crops out at this place. This fountain has never been 
properly secured, still the water is sufficiently pure to 
establish its acidulous carbonated character. Farther 
on in a northeasterly direction the springs of Saratoga 
rise to the surface through the calciferous sandstone. 
Here within the distance of a mile, rise fifteen of these 
mineral fountains, each one differing from all the rest 
yet holding the same kind of chemical constituent 
which accompany acidulous carbonated waters, but 
varying in their proportions. 

The existence of carbonic acid in this vicinity, is 
not limited to the springs, for it is found in the clay 
formations of the surrounding country. But as soon as 
the clay passes directly over the metamorphio rocks, 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 37 

whicli crop out within about two miles, in a north- 
westerly direction from the village, acidulous indica- 
tions cease. And in the course of my experiments upon 
the subject, I found a brick-yard where this line passes 
directly through the centre of the works ; the clay in the 
south half showing active effervescence, while that in 
the north half was unaffected by the acid. A few rods 
to the north of the yard, the metamorphic rocks cropped 
out abundantly and boldly, through the adjacent fields. 

The large quantity of this gas which is disengaged 
from so many fountains, and which saturates the whole 
surface for miles around the springs, must have a copi- 
ous source in the earth's crust ; but men of science 
are not agreed as to the laboratory in which it is pro- 
duced. 

Still continuing in a northeastern direction from the 
village for about one mile, we find more than ten 
springs bubbling up from the earth's surface, on the 
farm formerly owned by John and Ziba Taylor, now 
known as the " Ten Springs." 

One half mile farther to the east, on land formerly 
owned by Eichard Searing, but more lately known as 
the Stewart farm, another mineral spring makes its ap- 
pearance. Still northeast, and midway between ^' Doe^s 
Co7'ners,^^ and " Emerson'' s Corners, ^^ and on the farm 
now owned by Daniel Gaylor, in the town of Wilton, 
is another spring, clearly of the acidulous carbonated 
character. 

And in a direction a little more easterly from the 
village of Saratoga Springs, in the town of Saratoga, is 
the group called the Quaker Springs. Hero three 



38 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

springs of the acidulous carbonated character, issue 
from the Hudson river slate. 

(See article ReecVs Springs, p. 59.) 

There is, probably, little doubt but that the mineral 
water underlies the country throughout this range, 
from Albany to Argyle, in Washington county, taking 
a circuitous route through Ballston and Saratoga 
Springs. 

HIGH ROCK SPRING. 

The High Rock Spring is justly considered one of 
the greatest natural curiosities in the country. It has 
been known, and was used medicinally by the aborigines. 
Dr. John H. Steel gave the first scientifio description of 
the rock, and it was published in Silliman's .Jour- 
nal, pp. 242, 246. Dr. Valentine Seaman in 1809,=^ 
also published a description of the spring ; and in the 
course of his remarks, he says : " The more we reflect 
upon it, the more we must be convinced of the import- 
ant place this rock ought to hold among the wonderful 
works of nature. Had it stood on the borders of the 
Logo d'Agnans, the noted G-rotto del Cani, which, since 
the peculiar properties of carbonic acid have been 
known, burdens almost every book which treats upon 
the gas, would never have been heard of beyond the 
environs of Naples; while this fountain, in its place, 
would have been deservedly celebrated in story, and 
spread upon canvas, to the admiration of the world, as 
one of the "greatest curiosities." 

* The first edition of Dr. Seaman's work was published in 1793. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 39 

The following measurement of High Rock Spring 
was carefully made in 1856 : 

At the surface of the ground, the circumference of the High Keck 

is ' 24 feet 4 inches. 

Diameter of aperture, four inches below the top 12 

, Height of the rock above the ground 3 " 6 

Water in the rock above the ground 1 " 4 

Depth of the spring from the top of the rock . 10 " 
From the top of the rock to the water within. 2 "2 

The walls of the rock are of nearly uniform thickness 
throughout. This gives a pyramid of water within the 
rock, not dissimilar in form to its external surface. 

Water under the pressure of the atmosphere holds its 
own volume of carbonic acid gas in solution ; more 
volumes of the gas may be dissolved in water by pres- 
sure alone. The mineral waters of Saratoga, at the 
temperature of 212° disengages one and a half volumes 
of carbonic acid. The mineral substances held in solu- 
tion in the springs by this gas, are magnesia, lime and 
iron. These substances, together with a few other 
materials from the surroundings of the fountains, leaves 
and twigs of trees, compose the High Rock. This is 
not an isolated instance of this kind of formation at 
Saratoga, for deposits more or less extensive may be 
found about the aperture of the springs. This highly 
charged water, on rising to the atmosphere, can hold 
but one volume of the gas in solution. It, therefore, 
precipitates its excess of carbonates about the orifice of 
the fountain, in small particles at a time. If these pre- 
cipitates are suffered to rest and to accumulate, they 
will, in time, unite with each other, and a rock of cal- 
careous tufa of greater or less size is the result. ( See 



40 HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 

plate.) The Flat Rock "being covered by the soil has 
not been so frequently seen, yet quite a large amount 
of this deposit has been thrown down at this place. 
About the mouth of the Empire Spring was also a deposit 
of tufa, in the form, and about the size of an inverted two 
quart bowl, having in its top a perforation of about two 
inches in diameter, and of an oval form. And from the 
nature of the case, these deposits must always be going on. 
But currents of water may move them away mechani- 
cally, before they have a period of repose long enough 
to accumulate and become cemented together. This 
was the case with the original Congress Spring. The 
position of the rock, out of the side of which it flowed, 
and the shape of the surface of the ground, together 
with its rapid descent to the brook which runs near, 
would prevent any accumulation of tufa at this spring. 
But the relations of the new Congress differ from the 
old. At the mouth of the former, a deposit of tufa has 
been made, containing pieces of tumblers, pins, and a 
large proportion of Silex, together with many other ex- 
traneous substances, instead of the small twigs and 
leaves of trees which occasionally occur in specimens of 
the kind. This variety in the conglomerates, while it 
shows the surrounding circumstances at different periods, 
at the same time proves the general principle. 

It will be seen then, that the High Rock is not sui 
generis, as some may have supposed ; but it neverthe- 
less, so far as is known, is the great specimen of its 
kind. It stands high above the ground, is accessible, 
but yet it is to be feared, that there are but a few com- 
paratively who view it, who fully realize the fact, that 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 4l 

the'specimen before them is probably the most remark- 
able of its kind upon the whole face of the earth. 

And in this connection may I be permitted to urge 
upon the inhabitants of the village, as well as strangers, 
sacredly to abstain from marring, defacing, or removing 
a sinorle atom of the stone. For be it remembered, as 
a specimen, it belongs to the world. And every per- 
son is in duty bound to protect it. 

This water, as we have elsewhere said, continued to 
be used by the inhabitants, until the discovery of the 
Congress Spring, in the year 1792 ; which, as it proved 
to be less stimulating, was better adapted to the major- 
ity of cases than the High Rock. The water of this 
spring has always been uniform in quality, and is one 
of our best tonics. It is a little remote from the large 
hotels of the place, and is not therefore so much used as 
it ought to be, by debilitated patients. This spring is 
situated in the north part of the valley, a short distance 
from the Iodine and Empire Springs. The rocks rise 
rapidly in its rear, to the height of thirty or forty feet. 
The grounds about the springs are unimproved. And 
is it not a pity, that the original forest-trees had not 
been left standing, so that this great specimen might be 
seen as nearly as possible, in its primitive state ? ^ 

In the year 1767, the Indians introduced the waters 
of the High Rock Spring to the whites, as a remedial 
agent. During the quarter of a century which imme- 
diately followed Sir "William Johnson's visit to the 
springs, but few improvements were made, and these 

* Since the ptiblication of this work, a tasteful brick building has 
been erected over the spring, by W. B. White, Esq. 



42 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

were limited to the immediate vicinity of the High 
Rock ; and the knowledge of the country which the 
whites possessed, was also confined to such portions of 
it, as lay along the trails which led from the settlements 
on the river and the lake to the mineral fountains. Yet 
the spring continued to attract more and more attention. 
Persons travelling from one section of the country to 
another, if practicable, took the mineral fountain in 
their way. drank the water, and amused themselves in 
hunting in the surrounding forests. 

CONGRESS SPRING. 

In the year 1792, or twenty-five years after the visit 
of Johnson to the springs, one of these parties had been 
on a hunting excursion in a southerly direction from the 
High Rock, and when returning to the settlement, en- 
tered upon a trail which led them to a new spring. At 
that time the water flowed from an aperture in a rock, 
which was a part of the general ledge which extended 
from the Columbian Spring to the High Rock. The 
direction of this ledge was nearly east, for about two 
hundred feet from the Columbian Spring ; at this point 
the ledge took a more northerly direction. This change 
in its course gave a prominence to the portion of the 
rock situated at the angle. And this was the point 
from which issued the original Congress Spring. This 
rock was about three feet high, and the aperture through 
which the water flowed was about eighteen inches from 
the ground. The water trickled over the side of the 
rock, which lay within a few feet of the brook, and soon 
mingled with the stream, and passed away through the 
valley. One of this hunting party was John Taylor 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 43 

Gilman, who was at the time a member of Congress. 
On testing the water they were particularly pleased 
with its quality ; and after repeated visits to the spring, 
in company with the most prominent men of the settle- 
ment, they in counsel, named it Congress Spring ; 
thereby handing it over to the people of this common- 
wealth, who have ever since enjoyed its benefits. 

The water rapidly rose in reputation, and soon became 
the favorite spring. It was secured by pressing a drink- 
ing vessel against the rock. In this way it took a long 
time to obtain small quantities of the water, for it dis- 
charged only about one quart per minute, and a large 
portion of this was necessarily lost. But all agreed as 
to the quality of the water. About this time Grideon 
Putnam's far-seeing eye discovered, in part, the future 
importance of the spring. He made purchases of land 
in its vicinity, and began his improvements. As the 
accommodations for strangers improved, the demand for 
the water increased beyond the ability of the spring to 
supply. 

To obviate this deficiency, Putnam turned the brook 
a few feet to the north from its original channel. And 
being directed by bubbles of gas which were constantly 
rising through the channel of the brook, he sunk a shaft 
to the rock. On reaching it the water ceased to flow 
from the original aperture. The mineral water rose in 
abundance, and he secured it as well as he could in a 
tube made of pine planks. After filling in about the 
tube, water rose to the depth of seven feet ; the mineral 
water flowed from the aperture in the rock, but in 
diminished quantities. The new spring furnished a great 
abundance of water. And, at one time, Putnam had 



44 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

two potash, kettles evaporating the mineral water. The 
salts thus precipitated they sold in small packages. 
The sales during some years amounted to several hun- 
dred dollars. But it was soon found that these precip- 
itated salts did not produce Congress water when redis- 
solved, and the further evaporation was abandoned. *" 

In 1826, John Clarke, a native of Yorkshire, England, 
purchased from the Livingstons the farm on which the 
Congress Spring is situated. Mr. Clarke was well cal- 
culated, by education and experience, to take charge of 
the spring. He was well acquainted with the proper- 
ties of acidulous drinks, he having opened the first soda 
fountain in the city of New- York. Soon after Clarke's 
purchase of the spring, he began bottling the water for 
exportation. So well did he do this that he very soon 
realized a handsome annual income from this source 
alone. Clarke extended his purchases of real estate 
from time to time, so that at the period of his death, he 
owned in lands, contiguous to the spring, about one 
thousand acres. His improvements were always of the 
best kind, as may be illustrated by the beautiful cres- 
cent lawn, which he reclaimed from the deep mud 
swamp, which lay south and east of the spring, the clas- 
sic Doric structure, as it originally stood in its simple 
beauty, over the Congress Spring, and the pretty Gre- 
cian dome over the Columbian Spring, are but incidental 
specimens of the many improvements, which his large 
means, generous spirit, and good taste bestowed upon the 
village. Clarke's nurse outlived him some years ; he 
did not forget her while he lived, and left her a hand- 

* See page 73. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 45 

some annuity as long as she should survive. Mr. Clarke 
married Mrs. Eliza Bryer, widow of the late Charles 
White, Esq., of the firm of Emmet & Co., attorneys 
and counsellors-at-law. New- York city. He died on the 
6th day of May, 1846, aged seventy-three years. 

The Congress water continues to sustain its high 
reputation, and is resorted to by thousands during the 
drinking seasons, some of whom have paid their annual 
visits to the springs for forty-five consecutive years. It 
is a cathartic water, and should be used in the morning 
for that purpose. It has also been employed in cases of 
renal calculi, with decided beneficial effects. 

The analysis of the water gives the following ingre- 
dients in one gallon : 

Chloride of Sodium • 360.560 

Carbonate of Soda 8.000 

Carbonate of Lime 82 . 321 

Carbonate of Magnesia 78 . 242 

Carbonate of Iron 3 . 645 

Hydriodate of Soda 4 . 531 

_ Silica 0.510 

Alumina 0.231 

Solid Contents 538 .040 

Carbonic Acid 340.231 

Atmospheric Air 4 . 000 

Gaseous Contents 644 .231 

COLUMBIAN SPRING. 

This fountain is situated a few rods southwest of the 
Congress Spring. It is a ferruginous water, and con- 
tains large quantities of carbonic acid in a free state, 
which rises from the surface of the water in very large 
bubbles, causing a motion in the spring not very dissim- 



46 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

ilar to boiling water. The carbonic acid may be collect- 
ed at the mouth of the spring, to any extent desirable 
for scientific purposes, and at any time. 

This fountain contains the same constituent proper- 
ties as the Congress, but differing very much in their 
relative quantity. Its v^ater is very tonic, and should 
be used with great caution where this kind of medicine 
is not decidedly indicated ; but where it is clearly de- 
manded, the large quantities of free gas, together with 
the iron present in it, render it a tonic water of great 
value in many cases of irritable stomach, and weak di- 
gestive and assimilating organs. But its activity makes 
it important that it be used carefully, and subject to 
proper restrictions. 

One gallon of the water furnishes on an analysis the 
following ingredients : 

Cliloride of Sodium 290.501 

Carbonate of Soda 26 .000 

Carbonate of Magnesia 40 . 321 

Carbonate of Lime 90 .000 

Carbonate of Iron 6.000 

Hydriodate of Soda 3 .000 

Silica and Alumina 1 . 531 

Solid Contents 457.353 

Carbonic Acid 330.000 

HAMILTON SPRING. 

This fountain, situated in the rear of Congress Hall, 
a few rods northeast of Congress Spring, was first dis- 
covered and tubed by Grideon Putnam, Esq., and after- 
ward retubed and brought to its present condition by 
Dr. Clarke. For the last twenty or thirty years it has 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 47 

been most used as an alterative ; for this purpose it was 
a favorite spring of the late Dr. Steel — and also as a 
cathartic in very weak and feeble stomachs ; and where 
the Congress had proved too active and exhausting, even 
in small doses, this water would succeed like a charm. 
As a diuretic, in many nephritic diseases, its use has 
been attended with the most happy results. The water 
within the tube rises nearly to a level with the ground, 
and the surface of the water is constantly agitated by a 
free escape of fixed air, rising in alternate bubbles from 
the interior of the fountain. 

One gallon of the water furnishes the following ingre- 
dients on analysis : 

Grains. 

Chloride of Sodium 298.656 

Carbonate of Soda 34.250 

Carbonate of Lime 97 .996 

Carbonate of Magnesia. 39 . 066 

Carbonate of Iron 4 . 625 

Hydriodate of Soda 3 . 598 

Silex and Alumina 1. 000 

Solid Contents 479.191 

Carbonic Acid 320 . 777 

Atmospberic Air 1 .461 

Gaseous Contents 322.238 

Temperature of the spring, 48°. 

PAVILION FOUNTAIN. 

This truly beautiful spring is situated in the rear of 
the Columbian Hotel, and a few rods southeast of the 
Flat Rock Spring ; it was long since discovered, and ex- 
periments made upon the water by the late John H. 



48 HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 

Steel. Its remoteness, however, from the bank, which 
gave egress to the other mineral fountains in the valley, 
placed it in the midst of a deep morass, where it rose 
through an alluvial deposit of over forty feet in depth. 
This situation of the spring made it difficult to tube it. 
But in 1839, it passed into the hands of Daniel McLaren, 
who, braving all obstacles, at great expense of labor and 
time, succeeded in securing the present fountains, as 
well as improving the deep morass about them. 

The shaft was excavated and tubed in the following 
manner ; 

A crib of fifteen feet square, with logs locked together 
firmly at four corners, was placed around the spring. 
The work of excavation next followed, and as the 
swamp mud was thrown out, the crib was settled down. 
As the excavation proceeded, the water was raised from 
the shaft by large pumps, kept at work day and night. 
In this way, the excavation was made to the distance of 
forty feet. The direction of the rising bubbles was fol- 
lowed throughout. At this depth they struck the "hard 
pan," when the gas led in a lateral direction, and 
toward the west side of the valley. This lead they 
followed for several feet by cutting a trench, and then 
placed in this trench, what they called a " shoe." The 
toe of this shoe occupied the western extremity of the 
trench, w^hich was also several inches lower than the 
other end, or heel of the shoe. They next placed a 
tube over the heel of the shoe in a perpendicular posi- 
tion, and raised it high enough to pass the surface, and 
such filling in as would render the grounds dry and 
pleasant about the springs. They then filled in about 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 49 

the tube with clay. The whole tube as it is now 
placed, more resembles a man's boot than a shoe. The 
water is pleasant to the taste, and exhilarating to the 
spirits. It was bottled by McLaren, and since the re- 
purchase by the Walton family, has been bottled by 
them also. It is a favorite water for drinking at the 
spring, with both the inhabitants and strangers. 

This spring is now owned by the Messrs. Walton, 
who have farther improved the grounds about the foun- 
tain, by filling them in, changing the channel of the 
creek, laying out foot walks, planting shade trees, 
and constructing suitable buildings for bottling the 
water. This water has been bottled since 1840. The 
free acid of the spring is most abundant, and passes off 
in great quantities from the mouth of the fountain. 
This large amount of free gas imparts to the tongue a 
smart, pungent taste. The following is the analysis 
of one gallon of the water : 

Grains. 

Chloride of Sodium, 183.814 

Carbonate of Soda, G.OOO 

Carbonate of Lime, 59.593 

Carbonate of Magnesia, 58.266 

Carbonate of Iron, 4.133 

Iodide of Sodium and Bromide of Potassa, 2.566 

Silex and Alumina, 1.000 



Solid contents of one gallon, 31 



0.6 i 



Gaseous contents of one gallon, 372.499 

IODINE SPRING. 

This fountain is sitnated in the northeast part of the 
village, and a few rods north and east of the High Rock. 
. In 1835, my attention was particularly called to the 

3 



50 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

President Spring, situated quite near the High Rock 
fountain. From the experiments I then made upon 
the water of this spring, I came to the conclusion, that 
if the mineral stream supplying the fountain were 
properly secured, the water w^ould, in all probability, 
bottle very well. The conclusions I had arrived at, 
and the reasons for them, being communicated to some 
gentlemen from the village, they obtained a lease of the 
spring from Judge Walton, made a liberal excavation, 
secured the mineral water by a wooden tube, and thus 
raised it nearly to the top of the ground. To this 
spring they gave the name of " Iodine." 

Since that time it has been subject to a number of 
different directors, and has finally gone into the posses- 
sion of Judge Walton's heirs. Though comparatively a 
light water, it proves to be well adapted for bottling. 
When taken in proper quantities, and subject to reason- 
able restrictions, it sets well on the stomach. 

One gallon of the water furnishes the following in- 
gredients, on analysis: 

Grains. 

Chloride of Sodinm, 180.731 

Carbonate of Soda, 3.000 

Carbonate of Magnesia, 74.21 8 

Hydriodate of Sodium, 3.235 

Carbonate of Lime, 30.000 

Carbonate of Iron, 1.000 

' Silica and Alumina, .500 



Solid contents, 291.679 

Carbonic Acid and Atmospheric Air, 335.000 

EMPIRE SPRING. 

This spring is the most northerly one in the vil 
lage which has attracted general attention. It 
situated on the west side of the valley, and imme 



ill' I 




HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 51 

diately behind it lies a bluff of Mohawk limestone, forty 
feet in height. This limestone appears to be a detached 
portion, and extends only two rods in width by three in 
length, and lies on a ledge of calciferous sandstone. The 
water issues through a perforation in the calciferous 
sandstone. A knowledge of this particular form of the 
opening is of great importance in adjusting a suitable 
tube. 

'Mineral water has been known to trickle down the 
bank at this point ever since the land was cleared of 
its primitive shrubs. Bug it attracted no particular at- 
tention, for springs of mineral water which appeared 
equally imposing were, and are now, to be found issuing 
from many points along the mineral valley, and the 
prominent and conspicuous position which the High 
Rock and the original Congress Spring occupied turned 
all eyes toward them. As they furnished water in 
ample quantity, of the best qualities, to supply the de- 
mand, there appeared to be no necessity for the intro- 
duction of a new spring. The ground about the Em- 
pire Spring was for a long time advantageously occupied 
by lime-kilns. 

In the year 1846, the fountain was taken in charge. 
A shaft was excavated to the rock, a tube adjusted to 
the aperture, and the Empire Spring was secured. The 
fact that the Empire water passes the calciferous sand- 
rock by a perforation is of great practical value, as a 
tube may be scribed to the surface of the rock, and thus 
obviate the necessity of employing artificial means to 
secure the water with its full complement of gas. 

It will be easily apprehended that artificial means 



52 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 



are scarcely available in confining) or even in directing 
a current of acidulous carbonated M^ater. Materials 
which would answer well in cases of common spring 
water will be entirely useless with the acidulous mine- 
ral water. The "water cement" answers an admirable 
purpose with fresh water, but with mineral wafers is 
entirely insufficient, for it proves no barrier to the escape 
of the gas, and will in time be taken into combination 
with it. And a similar result follows in other kinds of 
packing which have been tested in actual experiments 
by the author. But, as in the Empire, when the gas- 
eous water passes through a heavy stratum of rock 
by a small aperture, a gi'oove carefillly cut in the rock 
around the mouth of the spring, and a well-secured 
pine tube properly placed in a groove, and afterward 
filled about with clay, would be a simple and most effi- 
cient way to set a tube. But this form of tubing 
will not be applicable to those fountains which pass 
through the rocks in clefts and fissures. To illustrate 
with what extreme^ divisibility the carbonates are held 
in solution in water, and with what readiness they pass 
through ordinary barriers, a pint of mineral water may 
be placed in a flaring vessel, say an ordinary baking 
dish, then apply a gentle heat until the whole salts are 
precipitated ; the outside of the vessel as high as the 
water stood will be frosted over with the precipitated 
carbonates which had been held in solution in the water 
by the gas, and not by the water. Here the salts are 
precipitated, although the dish is flaring and uncovered, 
yet the carbonates pass tkrough the pores of the glazing 
as well as through the sides of the vessel, and that too 
in a lateral direction. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 53 

The tube in the Empire Spring is scribed down to the 
surface of the rock, and is eleven feet and six inches 
in length. The column of mineral water in the tube 
above the surface of the rock, is nine feet six inches. 

This mineral fountain discharges seventy-five gallons 
per hour. It is a good cathartic and alterative water, 
and has proved itself adapted to a wide range of cases. 
And when we consider its remote situation, the popu- 
larity of other and older springs, the strong attachments 
which persons form by the habit of drinking of them, and 
their corresponding prejudices, we are surprised at the 
rapid stride this spring has made in public estimation 
during the short period of six or eight years. 

For cathartic purposes, the Congress and Empire 
water should be drank in the morning in quantities 
varying from one pint to three, according to the state 
of the case. As an alterative, from one fourth to a 
whole tumbler should be taken three or four times a day. 

The chalybeate waters may be taken in portions ran- 
ging from one gill to a pint, three or four times a day. 

The cathartic effects of the Empire and Congress 
water are increased by raising the temperature of the 
water 20° or 30°. If this is done by placing the bottle 
in warm water before drinking, the cork should be with- 
drawn ; because the increased cathartic power is owing 
to the escape of carbonic acid. This water, when bot- 
tled, should be kept as near to 48° Fahrenheit, as pos- 
sible ; and the bottle should be taken from the box and 
put in a refrigerator ten or twelve hours before using. 
This brings it to much the same temperature and con- 
dition as when drank fresh from the fountain, 



# 

54 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

The improvements in the north end of the town have 
heen much increased within a few years, and particu- 
larly those in the immediate vicinity of the Empire 
Spring. Reducing the unwholesome swamp, opening new 
drive- ways, and grading hills and laying out handsome 
village lots, are a few of the many heavy expenditures 
which have been sustained by Western & Co. alone. 
Neither have they been behind their fellow-citizens gen- 
erally, in the cultivation of large numbers of shade 
trees, which in time will add greatly to the beauty of 
their grounds and avenues. And it is to be hoped that 
these improvements may be continued by themselves 
and others, with even increased energy. Nature has 
done much in that part of the town, and art sparingly 
employed, will convert the upper part of the town into 
a beautiful village. If the hill on the west side of the 
valley was properly terraced, and willow and other ap- 
propriate trees were planted along the stream, we should 
have delightful promenades, and as fine situations for 
residences as are to be found in town. And these im- 
provements might be carried on with an outlay by no 
means large. 

One gallon of the Empire water furnished the follow- 
ing ingredients on analysis : 

Chloride of Sodium 270.000 

Carbonate of Lime 145.321 

Carbonate of Magnesia 43.123 

Carbonate of Soda 30.304 

Hydriodate of Soda 8.000 

Carbonate of Iron 3.000 

Silica 1.000 

Solid contents ' 500.748 

Gaseous contents 700 

Specific gravity 1.056 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 55 



WASHINGTON, 

This fountain is situated about six hundred feet in a 
southwesterly direction from the Congress Spring, and 
is the only one on the west side of Broadway, the prin- 
cipal street in the village of Saratoga Springs. 

It was first tubed by Grideon Putnam, in the year 1806, 
and has the singular history of being the first spring 
tubed in this section of the Mineral Valley, and the 
last one which has been practically reclaimed and pre- 
pared for commercial use. And although the land on 
which it first appeared has been owned by many differ- 
ent individuals since the first settlement of the country, 
some of whom, at least, have been considered among 
our most far-seeing and enterprising citizens, yet no 
thorough effort was made to secure the spring until 
October, 1858. 

In the year 1856, the ground upon which the spring 
rose, passed into the possession of John H. White, Esq., 
of the village of Saratoga Springs ; and during the au- 
tumn of 1858, he resolved to make a thorough excava- 
tion, and trace, if possible, the mineral stream to its 
escape from the rock. He therefore, on the 20th of Oc- 
tober, began a shaft eleven ieti square, which he exca- 
vated to the depth of thirty feet, through clay and hard- 
pan, to the calciferous sand-rock underneath. 

After carefully examining the surface of the rocit 
within the shaft, he ascertained that no mineral water 
came into the well through it, but entered from the 
southwest part of the excavation through the stratum 
of hard-pan which lies superimposed upon the sand-rock 



56 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

at this place. This lead was then taken, and followed 
with a tunnel six feet high, five wide, and thirty in 
length, in a direction generally southeast. At this point, 
and while exploring with an iron rod the farther direc- 
tion of the stream, the earth at the southeast extremity of 
the tunnel suddenly gave way, and the water and the gas 
flowed into the shaft with such force, and in such quan- 
tities, as to give the men engaged in the work of exca- 
vation barely time to escape from the pit, leaving their 
working tools behind them at the bottom of the shaft ; 
and in the short space of fifteen minutes it was esti- 
mated that twelve thousand gallons of water, and prob- 
ably nearly twice that quantity of carbonic acid gas, 
filled the excavation. At this juncture the most power- 
ful hand-pumps which could be commanded were 
brought to bear upon the water, and the gas within the 
excavation ; but they failed to clear the shaft, and the 
work of excavation was therefore suspended for the 
ensuing three weeks, during which time a portable 
steam engine and a powerful rotary pump were procured, 
and an excavation was commenced in a southeast direc- 
tion thirty feet from the former one, and over 1he ex- 
treme terminus of the tunnel. This shaft was fourteen 
feet square, and was excavated to the depth of twenty- j 
one feet, and preserved from caving by a cofier-dam, \ 
built with eight-by-ten-inch hemlock timbers and two- 
inch planks But reaching the farther depth of four 
feet, which was not curbed, the water and the gas 
broke into the shaft from the east, and again drove the 
workmen from their labors. 

The steam pump was now brought into requisition, 



HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 57 

and was continued in active operation for eighteen con- 
secutive hours, when a small pebble was carried in be- 
tween the rollers of the pump, which stopped the ma- 
chine, and before it could be removed, the pressure re- 
sulting from the accumulated v\^ater and gas, had be- 
come so great from without, that the strong timbers and 
plank composing the curb, gave way, and the workmen 
were driven a second time from this shaft, and the prose- 
cution of the work at this spot was abandoned ; but the 
excavation of a third shaft, twenty feet in diameter, 
was commenced in a southeast direction from the sec- 
ond shaft. But instead of the tubing which had been 
before used, one was employed composed of two-by- ten- 
inch plank, cut in beveled segments, so as to form nearly 
a circular curb. These pieces of plank were laid one 
above another, so as eftectually to break joints, and then 
nailed firmly together with six-inch iron spikes, which 
formed, when completed, a strong tube of wood ten in- 
ches in thickness, and twenty feet in diameter. This 
strong curb was continued with the excavation twenty- 
eight feet, and nearly to the sand rock in the bottom of 
the shaft. 

The bottom of the shaft being covered with water, 
one spring was seen bubbling up within the shaft, and 
another was found after tunnelling a few feet in a south- 
west direction. These springs seemed to be two foun- 
tains, issuing from the same fissure in the rock, within 
the distance of twenty feet. The more southwest foun- 
tain proved most copious, and presented a finer appear- 
ance ; as the loose gravel was removed, a full gushing 
volume of water, one inch wide and six inches long, 

3# 



58 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

came rolling up out of the rock, sparkling and boiling 
with gas. 

On the 29th of January, 1859, a tube twenty-five feet 
in height was placed around this jet of mineral water, 
and the 2d of February the mineral water was intro- 
duced into the tube, and two days after, it had risen to 
the waste pipe, twenty-three feet and six inches above 
the bottom of the shaft. 

On the morning of the 5th of February, the gas ap- 
peared on the surface of the water in the tube, which 
continued to increase in quantity for several days, 
so that a very active simmering and boiling motion 
was apparent in the water. On the 14th of February 
the waste pipe was closed, and in about four hours 
thereafter, the water within the tube rose to ihe top 
of it, and now flows over it in a continuous 
stream. 

This spring, so sparkling and lively, is one of the 
most beautiful and copious fountains in the valley. 
And if the mineral water is well secured at the rock, 
thoroughly excluding fresh water, earthy and mineral 
substances from the fountain, there can scarcely re- 
main a doubt of its being ultimately bottled with suc- 
cess. 



This spring is situated about two hundred yards in a 
northwest direction from the " Hamilton Spring," and 
nearly equi-distant between Broadway and Putnam 
streets. At this point, mineral water had been observed 
from quite an early date in the history of the village ; 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA, 59 

but it had received no particular attention until the 
year 1835, when Mr. Lewis Putnam made an excava- 
/ tion, and placed a tube about the fountain. 
\ This improvement seemed to answer a tolerably good 
i purpose for a number of years, during which time the 
! water was bottled to some extent for c«mmercial pur- 
poses, and was also freely used at the fountain by per- 
sons living in its immediate vicinity. But at length the 
water was found to be deteriorating in quality, where- 
upon, Mr. Putnam, in 1857, re-excavated the shaft, and 
found the water freely rising outside the tube, and a 
heavy incrustation of calcareous tufa surrounding the 
curb. He then repacked the tube with clay, and the 
water is now probably as good as it has been at any 
previous time in its history. 

From the facts already known in regard to the min- 
eral fountains, it is fair to conclude, that the quality of 
the water would be greatly improved, indeed, perfected 
by excavating the hard-pan to the calciferous sandstone, 
and tubing the mineral stream to the point of its escape 
from the fissure in the rock. Until this is done, we 
cannot speak specifically of the true character of the 
water. 



This mineral fountain is situated in South Argyle, in 
the county of Washington, and is the most easterly 
group in the mineral range. 

It is an acidulous carbonated water, and rises through 
a fissure in a stratum of Mohawk limestone. 

The gas rises from the bottom of the shaft in occa- 



60 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

sional bubbles ; but the water is not highly chargec 
with it ; nor has the spring the lively and sparkling 
appearance, which is so striking a feature in the Sara^ 
tosfa fountains. 

The slight acidulousness of the water, imparts! 
to it a pleasant taste, and makes it a grateful bever-l 
age. 

When the water is mixed with flour, it acts as yeast, 
making it light and spongy, and is therefore sometimes 
used in baking what is called '' spring-water rolls," and 
is also employed by persons residing near it, for medicinal 
purposes. 

WHITE SULPHUR SPRING. 

This spring is situated on the east side of Saratoga 
Lake, about half a mile south of Snake Hill, in a beau- 
tiful ravine of a few rods in width, through the centre 
of which runs a small stream, supplied by fresh water 
springs issuing from either bank. Within twenty rods 
of the lake a niche is formed in the south bank. Near ' 
the centre of the niche, and at the base of the bluff, rises ( 
the Sulphur Spring, and its course to the brook is marked 
by a deposit of sulphur. The water is strongly charged 
with sulphuretted hydrogen gas, and is very pellucid. 
Its taste, is like other waters of the class, very offensive 
to those unaccustomed to drink it. A few years since 
a number of gentlemen from the village purchased the 
farm in which the spring rises, sunk a shaft, and adjusted 
a new tube. They built baths and other accommodations 
for the use of visitors. A steamboat was placed on the 
lake to ply between the Lake House and the spring, 



.^ HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 61 

which made two trips daily. Two or three years subse- 
quently, the building took fire and burned to the ground. 
The year following the boat was removed from the lake, 
and all the arrans^ements which had been made to brins^ 
the sulphur water into notice have been, for the present, 
suspended. But since the loss of the .boat and the 
burning of the house, a bridge has been thrown across 
,the outlet of Saratoga Lake. And now, if a road should 
'he constructed along the lake shore to Snake Hill, and 
thence to the Sulphur Spring, it would be immediately 
brought within practicable distance of the village, and 
a new and beautiful drive of three hours would be 
opened. 



CHAPTER IV. 

CnLORmE OF Sodium is distributed very generally 
over the surface of the globe. The ocean, seas, salt 
lakes and mineral springs, hold large quantities of it in 
solution, while Russia, Germany, Poland, Hungary, 
Africa, Spain, England, and South America, furnish 
large deposits of this salt in a fossil state. 

There is a fossil deposit in Nantwich, Cheshire, Eng- 
land, which will illustrate this mineral formation, in the 
state of rock salt. 

This salt formation lies one hundred and sixty miles 
northwest from the city of London, on the banks of the 
river Weaver, near the confluence of that stream with 
the Don. It extends over parts of the townships of 
Willan Castle, Nantwich, Winnington, Marsdon, LifF- 
wick, and Anderton. At Nantwich, there is one mass 



62 HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. ' 

of this salt, which is sixty-five feet thick, three thousand 
nine hundred feet wide, and a mile and a half long j 
supplying annually sixty thousand tons of salt, which 
are conveyed thence to Liverpool hy the Weaver andj 
Mersey. Under this fossil are salt wells, varying in 
depth from ninety to one hundred and twenty feet. 
From these wells alone forty-five thousand tons of salt 
are annually procured hy artificial evaporation, whi 
is also marketed in the city of Liverpool.^ 

Other portions of the county supply fifty-one the 
sand tons ; making in all, one hundred and eighty-e . 
thousand tons of salt exported from a single fossil d 
posit. If this deposit may he accepted as a specime 
of the productiveness of rook salt formation in general 
immense quantities of this substance must exist on the 
surface of the earth. ] 

But large as this estimate makes the quantity of 
saline deposits in the interior of the earth, yet it repre- 
sents but a small portion of the aggregate of this 
substance contained in ocean, sea, lake, &c., all of 
which vary greatly in the strength of their solutions. 

It is found, as is well known, in the fluids of the 
animal system, supplied doubtless by their food. A 
certain amount of this substance seems to be necessary 
for the healthful condition of animal life, though an 
excess of it is followed by disease, as is noticeable in 
the fact, that persons long at sea, who eat but few vege- 
tables, and use salt meat freely, usually suffer from 
scurvy. A disease not unlike scurvy, and produced by 
the same cause, is not uncommon on land. 
* U. S. Dispensatory. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 63 

When taken into the stomach it may act as a tonic, 
cathartic, diuretic, emetic, and antiseptic, its effects 
being determined by the state of the system at the time 
it is taken, and the quantity used. Saline baths are 
particularly appropriate for persons with a relaxed, 
moist skin, and for children of scrofulous habits and low 
nutrition. One pound of salt to four gallons of water 
is a suitable solution for this purpose. It is soluble in 
twice its weight of water at 60° Fah. (See Bathing, 
page 90.) 

As an antiseptic, it has been long known, and very 
generally used. Fish and flesh are preserved by it for 
long periods of time. In the year 1805, there was a 
piece of beef in the Leverian Museum, London, which 
was a remnant of the provisions taken by Lord Anson, 
on his voyage *' around the world," between the years 
1739 and 1744. 

In agriculture, salt has been used as a fertilizer, on 
dry lands. As it is a deliquescent, attracting water from 
the atmosphere, it thereby, in part, supplies the defi- 
ciency of moisture in the soil. 

The quantity of this salt obtained by evaporation 
from a given amount of any of the mineral springs at 
Saratoga, is equal to more than one half the sum of all 
the salts contained in them. 

Chloride of sodium occurs, geologically, in the second- 
ary formations, associated with gypsum, slate, clay de- 
posits, limestone, and red sandstone. 

Although the United States contain no deposits of 
fossil salt, so far as we know, yet brine springs are 
numerous in this country, and some of them are among 



64 



HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 



the, most celebrated in the world. Those of Salina^ 
Onondaga county, N. Y., are justly distinguished. They 
hold in solution 19 per cent, of this salt. The State of 
New- York draws a large part of her revenue from the 
manufacture of salt at Salina, and annually employs 
several thousand persons about the works. 

Thirty-three and one quarter gallons of Salina water 
will furnish a bushel of salt of the ordinary marketable 
dryness, w-hile at 



gallons make one bushel. 



JN"antiicket 350 

New-York 300 

Boon's Licks, Mo 460 

Connaugh, Penn 300 

Zanesville, Ohio 95 

Salina, N. Y., (new springs), 30 



In the year 1841, 8,134,317 bushels of salt were in- 
spected at the Onondaga salt-works.=^ In the arts this 
salt is much used in the manufacture of carbonate of 
soda. 

Its existence in the mineral waters of Saratoga was 
demonstrated by Valentine Seaman in 1809. 



Carbonate of Soda. — This salt was first called Natron, 
from the name* of the desert from which it was taken. 
When it exists as a solid it is called native soda. 

It is chiefly found in Egypt, Hungary, and South 
America. It occurs principally in lakes, and small 
ponds, from which it is taken in a state of solution, and 
evaporated by the sun. 

Soda has been obtained by the incineration of marine 

* Geological Reports of New- York. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 65 

plants. In Spain, these plants have been cultivated for 
the purpose of procuring carbonate of soda ; and the best 
quality has been obtained from the barilla thus pro- 
duced Kelp is another form of impure soda, which is 
obtained also from the ashes of marine plants ; but the 
salicornia, from which the impure form of soda is ob- 
tained, grows on the rocky coast of many countries — as 
Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. 

The salt is colorless, possesses an alkaline reaction, 
and a disagreeable taste. It effervesces with acids, is 
soluble in about two parts of cold water, and in a blaze 
of alcohol it burns with a yellow flame. Its usual im- 
purity is common salt, which is easily detected by a 
solution of nitrate of silver. But at the present day, it 
is more generally procured from common salt than from 
marine plants. Medicinally, it is used to correct an 
acid condition of the secretions — as gout, gravel, and 
! certain forms of dyspepsia. It has been used also in 
( hooping-cough, bronchocele, and scrofula. Dr. Per- 
chier, at G-eneva, considers it preferable to iodine in the 
, treatment of bronchocele. 

( In diseases of the skin, where a papulous or scaly 

\ state of the siirface exists, it is administered in doses of 

from ten grains to half a drachm in some bitter infusion. 

' But an overdose acts as a corrosive and irritant poison. 

Antidotes are olive oil, acetic acid, or lemon juice. A 

• proper strength for a lotion, is from ten grains to three 

\ drachms to a pint of water; and for a general bath, 

eight to sixteen ounces in about ten gallons of water. 

I The ointment may be formed, varying in strength from 

eight to sixty grains to one ounce of lard, according to 



66 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

the case. It was detected as a constituent of the Sara- 
toga mineral water in the year 1795, by Dr. Yander- 
voort of New- York. 

Carbonate of Lime. — This substance is widely spread 
through many of the surface rocks, and appears under 
some one of the various forms of spar, and common and 
shell limestone, marble, marl and chalk ; and in the 
surface water of all limestone countries, and enters 
largely into the composition of the shells of fishes. In 
the form of limewater and prepared chalk, it is fre- 
quently used to correct acidity of the stomach occasioned 
by weak digestion. It is decomposed by heat and the 
acids, also by potassa, soda, baryta, strontia, and by 
acidulous and metallic salts. Dr. Yandervoort demon- 
strated its presence in the Saratoga water in the year 
1795. 

Carbonate of Magnesia. — This substance was dis- 
covered in the beginning of the eighteenth century, and 
was vended in the shops of Italy as a secret remedy, 
and possessing of course, great curative powers, under 
the imposing name of '' Count Palmer." But, in 1755,] 
Dr. Black examined it, and clearly demonstrated its 
chemical composition. 

It exists largely in nature, and is one of the four 
earths forming so considerable a portion of the crust of | 
our planet. It is principally derived from the bitterns 
in salt pans after the crystallization of common salt ; 
and Scotland, New England, and Baltimore are cele- 
brated for its manufacture. It is sparingly soluble in 



HAND BOOK OF SARATOGA. 67 

water, but is more so at a temperature of 60° than 
212°. This is owing to the partial expulsion of the 
carbonic acid by the heat of the water, which acid ren- 
ders it partially soluble in that menstruum. This is the 
gas so freely evolved from the mineral fountains of this 
place, which holds in solution the magnesia and other 
carbonates. 

As a cathartic, carbonate of magnesia is very gene- 
rally used in oases of weak digestion, and in cases of 
an acid stomach it produces most salutary effects. The 
morbid acids of the stomach and bowels decompose the 
carbonate of magnesia, and, forming other salts of mag- 
nesia in the bowels, leave the carbonic acid in a free 
state in the first passages ; this is most acceptable to 
these organs even when in a sensitive and irritable con- 
dition. 

These soothing properties render it very applicable to 
debilitated adults, and in many diseases incidental to 
childhood. 

As a lithontriptic, it has been prescribed to prevent 
the formation of calculi when the uric acid predomi- 
nates. 

It is an antidote to poison by arsenic, and nitric and 
sulphuric acids. Its existence in these waters was first 
determined by Dr. Vandervoort, of New- York, 1795. 

Carbonate of Iron.* — This salt of iron has been long 
known, and is widely distributed through the mineral, 
vegetable, and the animal kingdoms, probably, in part, 

* Detected as a constituent of the Saratoga Mineral Water in 1795, by 
Dr. Vandervoort- 



68 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

giving the varied tints to the petals of flov^rers, and col- 
oring the globules of the blood of man and other warm- 
blooded animals. It is powerfully tonic as a medicine; 
it raises the pulse, promotes the secretions, and imparts 
tone to the system. It is one of the mineral ingredi- 
ents in the mineral waters of Saratoga, and of course 
adds greatly to their tonic powers when they are used 
as alteratives. 

Professor Emmons discovered phosphate of iron in the 
water of the Empire Spring. This ferruginous salt is 
an important medicine Avhen prepared by the chemist. 

Hydriodate of Potassa. — Iodine "^as first discovered 
by Courtois, a manufacturer of saltpetre in Paris, in the 
mother water of sea-weeds. As a medicine, it has beenl 
very much used since 1812, and at the present time is/ 
variously compounded, and enters largely into the list 
of the most important prescriptions of modern times-' 
This substance was discovered in the water of the Con- 
gress Spring by Dr. William Usher, and his discovery 
was published in the America'n Journal, No. 1, vol. 15. 

Dr. John H. Steel detected iodine in all the Saratoga! 
waters in the year 1828, and in 1829 published the fact' 
in the succeedng volume of the same journal. It excitesi 
strongly the glandular system, and possesses great alter- 
ative power. It exists largely in the Saratoga waters, 
as they contain even more grains per gallon than the 
celebrated baths of Luool. 



Bromine was discovered by Bolard, of Montpelier, in 
France, while experimenting on the water of ponds, and < 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 69 

from its unpleasant odor he called it bromine. It has 
been used as a medicine since 1829. Like iodine, it is 
found to exist quite uniformly in sea water and in salt 
springs, in both Europe and America. In America it 
was first discovered by Professor Silliman, of New-Ha- 
ven, in water of the salt springs of Salina, Onondaga 
county, New- York, and in the mineral waters of Sara- 
toga, by A. A. Hays, of Connecticut. Its action on the 
animal system is nearly the same as iodine, and may be 
in some cases substituted for it ; but, as it is a more ac- 
tive remedy, it is not so generally used. 

The foregoing list of minerals, which exist in the 
waters of Saratoga, are among the most important and 
active of our medical agents ; and perhaps there is not 
one of the number which does not enter into the daily 
prescriptions of every physician in full practice, whether 
in the city or country. And in the practice of medicine, 
these substances are rarely, if ever, prescribed alone, 
but must be either artificially mixed or variously com- 
bined with other substances. The combinations so 
formed must vary at times from the nature of the case, 
whereas these waters, as in all natural combinations, 
have a uniformity so constant that results may be ex- 
actly calculated and depended upon. 

Hence, doubtless, if the mineral waters of Saratoga 
were administered with the same care which is generally 
plowed to be necessary in the administration of artificial 
bompounds, the benefit of them would be greatly in- 
creased. One of the errors which is daily committed 
n their use, is the excessive quantity in which they are 
taken. Permanent injury is often done in cases where, 



70 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

if properly used, they would be attended with most 
salutary effects. 

Carbonic Acid has more volume than any other min- 
eral found in the springs of Saratoga, and it is more 
generally diffused than any other mineral substance 
known to science. No height of the atmosphere has 
failed to give evidence of its presence, when it has been 
subjected to appropriate tests ; no depths of the earth 
which have been unfolded to man, have failed to pre- 
sent this peculiar mineral, either in a free or combined 
state, and the rocks found most universally on the sur- 
face of the earth are carbonate of lime. 

Yegetables cannot grow without it, and the animal 
kingdom is equally dependent on its presence. 

It has been called " gas of wine," because found in 
this fluid. It was at one time named " choke damp," 
because it produces spasms of the glottis when attempts 
are made to inhale it. One chemist, having disenga- 
ged it from a piece of chalk, calls it " cretaceous air ; " 
another detects it in every portion of the atmosphere, 
and he names it " aerial acid." And, finally, the ana- 
lytical chemist separates it into its constituent parts, 
and demonstrates its chemical composition to consist by 
volume of one part carbon and one part oxygen gas. 
This philosopher, therefore, designates it carbonic acid, 
and by this name the chemist knows it at the present 
day. 

This gas is pleasant to the taste, slightly pungent, 
imparting an agreeable flavor. It has a healthful in- 
fluence when received into the stomach by taking the 
place of other acids, and changing the chemical com- 



HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 71 

pounds which are the result of impaired digestion. It 
acts chemically when it corrects the acids and gases 
which result from indigestion, and as a sedative when 
it allays the nausea and vomiting which attend irrita- 
tion of the organ. 

This gas is irrespirahle, producing spasmodic contrac- 
tions of the glottis ; even when it is inhaled with the at- 
mosphere in the proportion of one part of gas to nine of 
air, it becomes a narcotic poison by producing stupor, 
insensibility, and death. 

The mineral springs of Saratoga produce large quan- 
tities of this gas, and the tubes are always filled with 
it above the water, and experiments upon animal life 
may at any tinae be made here. This gas imparts the 
sparkling, lively appearance to champagne, beer, cider, 
and the soda water of the shops. 

Its effects on irritable mucous surfaces have been no- 
ticeable and very beneficial. Professor Moyon of Gen- 
eva, Switzerland, used it in a case of dysmenorrhea, 
with the most soothing effects. 

Combined with water, it forms a grateful drink to 
febrile patients, allaying thirst, lessening nausea, gas- 
tric irritation, and increasing the secretions of urine. 
It has been prescribed for gravel and urinary calculi 
with good results. 

Its specific gravity is 1.521. This quality of the 
mineral, favors its accumulation in caverns, wells, and 
other low situations, near which it is generated, if un- 
occupied by water. Its presence in such places may, 
as is well known, be detected by lowering a lighted 
taper, which in this gas will expire immediately. 



72 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

"Water under the pressure of the atrnosphei^e holds 
one volume of this gas in solution, and if the pressure 
is increased, the quantity of the mineral is correspond- 
ingly accumulated; and on again diminishing the 
pressure to that only of the atmosphere, the gas escapes 
with active effervescence. 

The mineral water at this place holds more than one 
volume of carbonic acid in solution. It therefore must 
have been subject to a pressure greater than that of the 
atmosphere, and on rising to the surface of the ground, 
this extra pressure is removed and the gas escapes, giv- 
ing a simmering or a boiling motion to the surface of the 
water in the spring. 

In the year 1823, Faraday subjected carbonic acid 
to the pressure of thirty-six atmospheres, and a fluid 
was produced. This liquid gas is also colorless and ex- 
ceedingly mobile, having a specific gravity of 0.83 at 
the temperature of 32° Fahr. And in 183G, Thilosier 
solidified it by taking advantage of the cold which was 
generated by the sudden gasefaction of the liquid acid. 
When a solid it is a white, filamentous body, something 
like asbestos. This gas is soluble in ether ; and by the 
evaporation of this solution, the most intense cold, viz., 
— 160° Fah., has been obtained. Carbonic acid gas is 
very sensibly affected by heat, so that the temperature 
which would increase the volume of air once, will in- 
crease that of carbonic acid fourfold. 

"When this mineral is dissolved in water it very much 
increases the solvent powers of that menstruum, en- 
•abling it to take up and hold in solution, hme, mag- 
nesia, and iron, in greatly increased quantities ; hence 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 73 

the variety of constituents in the mineral fountains of 
Saratoga. And, if one ounce of the mineral water be 
evaporated, salts will be precipitated which would not 
be re-dissolved by gallons of common rain water. ^ 

The presence of this gas in the mineral water of Sara- 
toga increases its solvency about one third. The phe- 
nomenon of the High Rock Spring will be seen to illus- 
trate this fact. 

Besides the sources already mentioned from which 
this gas is derived, as the atmosphere, combustion, 
growth and slow decomposition of vegetables, decompo- 
sition of calcareous rock, fermentatiori'of saccharine mat- 
ter ; it is also a result of volcanic action. This gas is 
also evolved in great quantities from all the mineral 
springs lying along this mineral range. 

That an immense amount of gas is contained in these 
springs is obvious. That it is freely imparted by them 
as soon as they are subjected to the pressure of the at- 
mosphere alone, is equally well known. But the great 
question which has thus far been, and perhaps may 
long be unanswered, still remains : By what process, 
and at what depths of the earth's crust, have they be- 
come thus freely charged ? 

Several theories have been advanced to account for 
the origin of carbonic acid in mineral fountains, as vol- 
canic, chemical, &c., &c. . 

It has been supposed by some, that the gases which 

occur in different fountains, are derived from the rocks 

which form the channels of subterranean water courses. 

This supposition of the source of the gases is farther 

=* See page 4. 

4 



74 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

strengthened by the fact, that gases differing 4n kind, 
have been obtained at different depths in the same bor- 
ing, as in the Ferry-street well in the city of Albany, 
New- York. In this instance, at the depth of thirty feet, 
sulphuretted hydrogen gas was found, at four hundred 
feet carburetted hydrogen was obtained, and [at four hun- 
dred and eighty feet carbonic acid, free, and also com- 
bined with soda, magnesia, and iron came sparkling up, 
nearly to the top of the well. The boring was continued 
to the depth of six hundred feet from the surface ; but 
the same kind of mineral waters continued to flow, 
charged with gases. These could be separated, by 
tubes introduced into each other, so as effectually to 
separate the three several kinds of water occurring in the 
same shaft. 

If these gases had been the product of volcanic 
action, would they not have appeared together at the 
different heights in the same boring, and could they 
have been separated, as was done in the Ferry-street well ? 

Others have accounted for the gas in the fountain 
by the reciprocal action of sulphuret of iron^ and car- 
bonate of lime^ contained in the strata of argillite in 
which they exist ; but admitting this origin for the gas, 
it is not easy to account for the absence of sulphate of 
lime, of which not a trace has been discovered in the 
waters of Saratoga. « 

An opinion is entertained by some chemists, that 
in strata holdins: alkaline and ferruginous carbonates in 
combination, free carbonic acid and alkaline carbonates 
may be found in solution. The theory of slow molecular 
action seems to be attended with fewer difficulties, and 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 75 

accounts* equally well for the abundant production of 
carbonic acid in this locality. 

And there can be but little doubt, but it is an im- 
portant agent also in elevating the mineral water of this 
region to the surface of the earth. For it has been ob- 
served, that in all cases of tubing these fountains, the 
gas does not rise in the springs until some hours or days 
even after the water has reached its maximum height. 
Then it begins first to simmer in a very slight and feeble 
way, gradually increasing, till at length the surface of 
the fountain is agitated like water in a boiling caldron. 
And if, by any cause, the pressure of the column of 
water within the tube is increased, the gas will cease 
to rise for a time, but will appear again as active as 
ever, after the gas has had time to accommodate, and 
adapt itself to the additional pressure. 

It has been objected, that if this process is going on, 
mineral springs should occur more frequently. It may 
be said in reply, that they are very much more common 
than is generally supposed, inasmuch as forty-four coun- 
ties of the State of New- York furnish mineral springs. 

Water, next to atmospheric air, is the most abundant 
and most generally diffused fluid in nature. 

Its solvent power is such, that it is rarely found pure. 
As it expands into vapor by the influence of heat, it 
rises into the air, where it comes in contact with oxy- 
gen, nitrogen, carbonic acid and ammoniacal salts. 
These it dissolves, and when the vapor condenses into 
rain, hail, or snow, it still holds them in solution and 
returns them to the ground. These substances are thus 
particularly well prepared for food for plants ; and hence 



76 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

the invigoration and rapid growth of vegetation which 
invariably follows gentle falls of rain and snow in the 
late spring. And so obvious is this effect even of a late 
snow, u]3()n the growth of vegetation, that farmers have 
called it the " poor man's manure." It is tolerably 
well understood that the artificial irrigation of plants 
does not produce results, nearly so desirable, and hence 
we are led to the supposition, at least, that water holds 
its combinations in a manner quite different whether 
falling in showers, running in springs, or standing quiet- 
ly in vessels ; though it may be true, as has sometimes 
been supposed, that these combinations are in each in- 
stance the same, in kind and proportion.* 

When the water percolates the soil, or runs deep 
among the rocks which compose the crust of the 
earth, it comes in contact with a great variety of min- 
erals, acids, alkalies, and fossils, dissolving a portion of 
each. These substances are thus conveyed in solution 
to the ocean, where the water is evaporated, and the 
salts are precipitated. 

In this way a constant increase of earths, minerals, 
and salts is taking place in the great reservoirs of the 
globe. 

Thus, perhaps, have been excavated the large caves 
common in limestone formations. The water having 
always more or less carbonic acid in solution becomes 
an active solvent of lime, and when brought in contact 
with it, takes it up from the surface of the rock, thence 

* The clianges wliicb take place in the character of the sohitions of 
water under different circumstances, might become a subject of curious 
inquiry. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 77 

it flows off; but if the temperature should be raised 
the lime is precipitated ; hence the stalactites, stalag- 
mites, &c., so abundant in these localities. 

When water, percolating the surface of the earth, 
meets some impervious stratum, it is accumulated upon 
it until it rises to such a level as to find an outlet. 
This outlet is called a spring. 

When springs differ from ordinary water in contain- 
ing a larger proportion of saline ingredients, with vari- 
ous gases in greater or less quantities, they are called 
mineral springs. 

By acidulous or carbonated springs, we mean those 
fountains which are charged with carbonic acid. They 
have a peculiar, sparkling and exhilarating effect, and 
contain always some alkaline carbonate as one of the 
constituents. 

To this class of mineral springs belong the well- 
known fountains of Saratoga. This kind of mineral 
water is not very common, and in the State of New- 
York has been only found in the mineral range al- 
ready described^ in this work. 



CHAPTER V. 

EvACUANT. — As a general evacuant in cases of long 
standing debility and depraved general health, I know 
of no other remedy, either simple or compound, which 
can be compared with these mineral waters, if judi- 
ciously used and persevered in. 

* See page 31. • 



78 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

As a cathartic they are pleasant to the taste, grateful 
to the stomach, efficient as an evacuant, while they 
leave the alimentary canal stronger, and its functions 
more vigorous. Patients whose digestive organs have 
heen impaired by disease, enfeebled by excess, or ex- 
hausted by the toil of accumulated years, find in them 
an agent which will relieve the organs, without first in- 
creasing the existing debility. When taken in the 
morning upon an empty stomach, in a potation from 
half a pint to three pints, a full and copious dejection 
soon takes place ; unloading the whole length of the 
digestive tube of the remnants of the previous day's in- 
gesta, which is of no farther use to the system, but on the 
contrary, may be the source of much harm. This free 
evacuation is copious without pain, and leaves the di- 
gestive tube at perfect freedom to exert its digestive and 
assimilating powers on the next portion of food present- 
ed to it. 

And although the dejections are free, and in many 
instances most copious, yet no languor or debility is ex- 
perienced by the patient, but on the contrary, his appe- 
tite is increased for the next meal. Even the digestive 
functions are greatly improved, the power of assimila- 
tion and nutrition is increased, additional strength is 
imparted to the body, and as a consequence, new and 
increased vigor to the mind. 

Diuretic. — As a diuretic they are no less happy in 
their results, in cases proper for their use, than as a ca- 
thartic. For their action on the kidneys, and the gen- 
eral renal secretions, is prompt, certain, uniform and 
efficient. But they must be differently administered 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 79 

when diuretic effects are to be obtained ; the quantity- 
taken at a time should be less, and repeated at shorter 
intervals, and if possible drank fresh from the fountain. 

Diaphoretic. — ^As a diaphoretic they are equally suc- 
cessful as an evacuant. And very many cutaneous 
diseases find ready relief from an alterative course of 
them. In the case of those who have resorted here for 
relief, and have come under my personal observation, a 
very large proportion of them have had an exceedingly 
bad functional state of the skin ; and oftener than 
otherwise, if there had been any error committed by 
their medical adviser at home, it had been in not suffi- 
ciently regarding this great depurating organ. The 
bowels had been purged, the functions of the kidneys 
inquired after ; but those of the skin had never been 
thought of either by the patient or his physician, and 
this neglect sometimes even to the lack of ordinary 
cleanliness. 

In this connection I v/ish to correct what seems to 
me to be an error in the minds of many people, viz. : 
that physio will cure constipation of the bowels, and 
that a very free state of the first passages is necessary 
to health and comfort. Now, both of these positions 
are undoubtedly wrong. Physio is an evil, and is to be 
taken as a choice of evils v/hen taken at all. It must 
interfere with digestion, and all the legitimate functions 
of the digestive and assimilative organs, by exhausting 
to a greater or less degree the vital powers of these im- 
portant organs ; and they are therefore less qualified to 
prepare nutriment for the individual. A free state of 
the bowels is an unnatural state of the organs, and the 



80 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

food passes from the digestive tube before the absorbents 
have had time to take up the nutriment. And a major- 
ity of mineral water drinkers physic themselves too 
much. A healthy action of the bowels is all that is 
required ; and all extremes are to be avoided. Consti- 
pation is only to be cured by checking those functions 
which are in excess, and properly correcting the secre- 
tions and stimulating the muscles of the bowels. A re- 
laxed state of the bowels is to be remedied by increas- 
ing the secretions of the kidneys and the skin, and 
regulating the diet. 

Bilious Diseases. — In those cases where the liver is 
making bile unhealthy in quality or quantity, and with- 
out organic lesion being present in the viscus, these 
waters, used as a cathartic in the morning, with such 
assistance over night as the case may require, produce 
the most happy results. But if a higher grade of arte- 
rial action is present, or if organic lesion has taken 
place, and a dropsical state of the lower extremities has 
supervened, then they are injurious without an excep- 
tion. But it must be remembered, that extensive 
swellings may take place from a great variety of causes 
besides organic disease, which may be relieved with 
great facility by a proper and timely use of these mine- 
ral waters. 

In a passive state of the bowels, when an evacuation 
is not obtained save at the expense of much time, or 
large doses of active medicines, with clay-colored stools, 
and a dry and rough state of the skin, the cathartic 
mineral waters, if taken in the morning an hour or two 
before breakfast, in proper quantities for physic, and in 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 81 

smaller portions through the day, to operate on the kid- 
neys, skin, and liver, will in a few days regulate the 
system most perfectly. But in bilious difficulties of the 
above description, much relief may be obtained by 
proper and timely bathing. These baths should be of 
mineral water generally, and used in the form of a 
shower-bath, about ten or eleven o'clock in the morning. 
After the bath has been indulged in, it is important that 
the patient should be carefully wiped dry, and the fric- 
tion on the surface continued with a coarse towel, or a 
flesh-brush, until the skin is warm and generally flush- 
ed. This rubbing should in most instances be done by 
the patient himself, for the circulation is thereby more 
eflectually thrown upon the surface, and the congestion 
of the internal organs more effectually relieved. In 
some of the above cases I have known such an active 
state of the kidneys or skin to exist, that almost all the 
fluids of every description which the system could re- 
ceive, would be passed directly from the body by the 
agency of the renal organs, or the pores of the skin. 
And notwithstanding large quantities of mineral water 
had been taken by the patient, yet the constipation 
would continue to be more and more difficult to over- 
come, as well as the torpidity of the bowels so much 
the more aggravated ; the long and unpleasant train of 
morbid action incident to an excessive secretion of the 
kidneys or of the skin, also superadded to former 
sufferings, by the very course resorted to for relief. This 
state of the system is easily overcome by proper medi- 
cine taken over night, followed in the morning by ca- 
thartic water, together with bathing and friction of the 

4^ 



82 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

skin. In other cases again, there may he a little 
general excitement, which will be so much enhanced by 
the carbonic acid, that it becomes necessary to expel it 
before the water is taken. This is usually accomplish- 
ed by setting the water in the lodging-room over nighty 
or by immersing it in warm water in the morning just 
hefore using it ; this will expel the gas and insure the 
cathartic effect. 

Alterative Use of the Water. — ^When the cathartic 
effects are obtained from the use of the water, many peo- 
ple seem to think the work is completed, and they of course 
expect to be well, when in truth they have taken but 
one step on the way toward a permanent cure. They 
have, by an antiseptic physic, evacuated the first passa- 
ges of ill-prepared feculent matter. But the water has 
passed through the bowels, and scarcely any of it has 
entered into the system proper, or passed the secreting 
organs, and become a part of the circulating fluids of 
the body, or combined with their nutriment. This is 
only to be done by small potations taken repeatedly 
through the day ; and in most instances these draughts 
should be taken from the more tonic springs, as the 
Columbian, Hamilton, and the High Rock fountains. 

The quantity of water taken in this way should be 
small at first, say a gill or half a pint, to delicate females 
and others in proportion, and should be repeated every 
three or four hours throughout the day, and gradually 
increased in quantity until the maximum amount the 
system can dispose of properly, has been taken by the 
patient. In this way an alterative course is obtained, 
which may change the whole secretions of the body, a 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 83 

very important point to be obtained in most cases of 
chronic disease. 

The small alterative potations should be drank at the 
fountains, where the water is as perfect as it is possible 
to obtain it. 

Gravel. — In gravelly states of the kidneys and the 
bladder, many well-attested cases might be produced, 
where the patients have been cured by the waters from 
these mineral springs. They should be drank in such 
quantities, and with such repetition as to insure a copious 
diuretic effect, when large quantities of sand, and fre- 
quently small calculi will be discharged with the urine. 
This result is frequently much assisted by the use of 
the warm bath, which, in a large part of the cases, will 
increase the secretions of the kidneys. And even in 
cases where there was evidently organic lesion of the 
bladder present, the free use of the mineral water 
seemed to furnish more relief than any other remedy 
which had been used, although the patient had been 
subject to the directions of the first medical men. 

Chronic Rheumatism.- — This formidable disease has 
been repeatedly cured by a liberal use of the water 
taken as a cathartic in the morning, as an alterative 
through the day, and externally applied in the form of 
a shower bath, cold from one of the mineral fountains. 

Phagedenic. — In ill-conditioned ulcers of the above 
character, these mineral waters have been found very 
beneficial, and are to be internally and externally ap- 



84 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

plied. The external application, both general and local, 
should be prescribed, when, in a short time, the ulcers 
will change their aspect and begin to heal. 

Cutaneous Diseases. — Diseases of the skin are very- 
numerous, and some of them are difficult to treat in or- 
dinary practice. But all those which depend on an acid 
state of the secretions, and which have been controlled 
by an alkaline treatment, are happily treated by the 
mineral water. These cases require the fluids of the 
body to be saturated with the mineral water, and also 
the daily application of the bath. Papulous diseases in- 
volving the whole surface of the body, are perfectly 
cured during one season by the use of these mineral 
waters. 

Scrofula. — This state of the system finds great re- 
lief from the use of the mineral waters of Saratoga. 
Those laboring under it should drink the water in the 
morning as an aperient, take it as an alterative through 
the day, and bathe regularly once during every twenty- 
four hours, unless some particular reason for the con- 
trary should exist. In tkese cases, the external ap- 
plication is highly important. Iodine and bromine 
occur in sufficient quantities in these waters, sensibly 
to affect such cases, when applied generally to the sur- 
face, and in amount even equal to the quantity used in 
baths with so much success in the south of Europe. 

The temperature and frequency of the baths in these 
diseases, must depend upon the general health of the 
patient, the state of the weather, and the season of the 
year when they are used. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 85 

Chlorosis. — This disease and many other kindred 
difficulties, are readily removed by a judicious course of 
drinkino: and bathinsr in these mineral waters. But I 
have known some patients much injured by attempting 
to practise a course of diet, medicine and exercise, ac- 
cording to some popular direction, which may be very 
proper in other cases, but not necessary in all — as for in- 
stance, early rising, long walks, deep draughts of cold 
water ; and all this is to be accomplished before breakfast 
by females, who for years have not risen in the morning 
until the breakfast hour ; never have been accustom- 
ed to walk any considerable distance at any time in 
the twenty-four hours ; and whose stomachs are ex- 
tremely irritable, and their general health feeble. For 
such patients to leave a warm bed, subject themselves 
to the difference of temperature between it and the morn- 
ing air about the fountain, and drench their stomachs 
with large portions of cold mineral water, then return 
to the hotel, and add to all the rest a full meal of stimu- 
lating food, must be a hurtful, if it be not a dangerous 
experiment. 

By these remarks, I am not to be understood as be- 
ing opposed to early rising, exercising in the morning 
air, and drinking the water at the several fountains ; but 
I mean to be understood as saying, that all persons who 
visit these springs in pursuit of health, cannot rise at 
the same hour in the morning ; take a walk of the same 
length ; drink the same number of tumblers of cold mine- 
ral water ; and eat the same kind of food, and to the 
same extent, with precisely the same results. I mean 
that every person's exercise should be measured by his 



86 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

ability ; his food by his power to digest and assimilate ; 
that his rising in the morning, and the amount of water 
drank, where and at what temperature, should depend 
on the effects produced, rather than the popular opinion 
of good, wise, or fashionable individuals, who have 
*' known all about the water," because they had been 
here before, once or oftener, and have drank it by " rule." 

Phthisis. — Much as has been said of late, about the 
effects of the mineral water of Saratoga in this disease, 
I have yet to learn that they have ever been of use in 
well-marked cases of this kind. And from those who 
have thought and written to the contrary, I must beg 
most respectfully to differ. I have never seen a case, 
where I thought there was even a shade of palliation 
produced by the use of the water, but on the contrary it 
has been always injurious, increasing all the alarming 
symptoms of this most formidable disease. 

I have also known many coughs and pains about the 
pectoral regions, most promptly and effectually cared 
by drinking the mineral waters, but the cough and the 
pains in the chest were dependent upon a diseased ac- 
tion in one or more of the digestive and assimilating 
organs, and not on that pathological state of the lungs 
which is phthisis pulmonalis. My advice to all who are 
laboring under this disease is, not to drink of any one 
of our mineral springs recently or remotely discovered 
and brought into notice. 

Diseases peculiar to the Southern and Western States, 
and which are caused by miasma, are much relieved by 
a few weeks' sojourn at the Springs. The stimulating 
and dry atmosphere of Saratoga county is well calcu- 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 87 

lated to remove diseases which occur in the damp mias- 
matic climates which prevail along the seaboard, and the 
lakes and the rivers of the Western and Southwestern 
States. And the morbid condition of the digestive or- 
gans, which is so frequent an attendant on bilious dis- 
eases, is often removed by the use of the mineral water 
of Saratoga. It acts powerfully on the secretions of the 
liver, the skin, and the kidneys. It improves the ap- 
petite, the digestion, and the nutrition of this class of 
patients. 

Another class of patients wdiich are very much bene- 
fited here, are those who have, by too close and protract- 
ed application to business, over-taxed the brain and 
nervous system. This class of patients can spend a 
few weeks at Saratoga, and be speedily relieved from 
their anxious cares and labors without becomins^ im- 
patient of their want of employment. The day passes, 
and the week is even gone, and they can scarcely ac- 
count for it. Their time has been completely occupied, 
and yet they have had no particular business on hand 
at any hour. While the cause which produced their 
indisposition is removed, nature, aided by the whole- 
some atmosphere, the medical qualities of the mineral 
waters, and the congenial friends who surround them, 
restores them unconsciously to health. 

Drinking the Waters in the Winter. — Although it 
has been the custom for half a century past, to use these 
mineral waters as a medicine during the warm seasons 
of the year, yet but few comparatively have been in- 
duced to remain here during the colder portions of the 
year, to use the water as a remedial agent ; but long 



88 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

experience has most clearly established the fact, that 
they may be used with nearly as much promise of 
success in the winter as at any other season of the 
year. It is true that July and Augast are the fash- 
ionable months at Saratoga, and many who reside in 
the large cities being compelled by the sickly season at 
home, to remove into the country for safety, make choice 
of these months. It is also an interval from active 
business, which is an additional reason for their making 
their annual tours for pleasure and health at this time. 
But a large proportion of invalids are not restricted 
by any such relations as the above, and might come in 
the cold weather as well as the warm if they were 
aware of the practicability of using the water during 
the Winter, Spring, and Autumn. 

We have never been able to detect any difference in 
the temperature, specific gravity, or mineral composition 
of the waters, during the winter months. They have 
their origin so deep in the earth, and so remote from the 
circulating currents of fresh water on the surface, that 
the fall and spring rains do not affect them in the least. 
The waters, therefore, are as medicinal during the three 
quarters of the year when they have not been used, as 
they are during the one quarter in which they have been 
applied. And those who have used them during the 
winter with marked success, practically confirm the 
above conclusions- And were I called upon for some of 
the most striking instances of relief obtained by drink- 
ing the waters, I should refer to cases treated in the 
winter season, as among the most prominent. And no 
distinction need be made, save with those who cannot 
endure the exposure of their journey. It would be quite 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 89 

as plausible for an invalid to say that lie could not ap- 
ply other remedial agents in the winter, because the re- 
lief was not as prompt and efficient as when used in 
the summer. The cases in which the water is applica- 
ble, are the same, or vdlry nearly the same, in the winter 
as in the summer. 

Constipation. — This difficulty arises from a variety 
of causes, as debility, vitiated or deficient secretions, 
sedentary habits, a want of muscular power in the in- 
testinal tube, morbid condition of the brain, chronic in- 
flammation of the bowels, irritation of the abdominal 
nerves, a redundant secretion of the kidneys or the skin, 
and a morbid state of the liver, which are some of the 
more common causes of constipated bowels. One other 
cause, perhaps, I ought to mention in this connection, 
viz., too close and protracted application to business. 
Constipations from the above causes, are to be met with 
dail}' during the summer seasons at Saratoga. Ml of 
which are happily met by a few weeks' use of Saratoga 
mineral waters, absence of cares, and change of air, &:c. 

Cathartic. — The mineral waters of this place are 
among the most pleasant, efficient and appropriate ca- 
thartic medicines now in use. Three pints of the water 
may be taken fasting, and the patient's relish for his 
breakfast will be increased. The effect of the water 
after the meal will be prompt, full and complete. And 
the languor which so uniformily attends the operation 
of ordinary cathartics, does not follow the operation of 
the water. The carbonic acid, by its sedative effects, 



90 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

prevents those griping pains which so uniformly accom- 
pany the operations of ordinary medicines of this class. 
These properties of the water render it a most valuable 
remedy in debilitated stomachs and bowels. 

» 

As A Diuretic, their action is equally prompt This 
effect is produced by taking the water in less quantities. 
From half a pint to a pint, taken every four or six hours, 
is a proper dose for this purpose. 

As A Diaphoretic it is very active under given circum- 
stances. Half pint doses, followed by either a warm bath 
or brisk exercise, will produce diaphoresis. Thus employ- 
ed, in a great variety of diseases of the skin, it has been 
attended with the happiest effects. The acid state of 
the system, which is uniformily present in scaly and 
papulous conditions of this great organ, is met by the 
water better than by any other prescription which I have 
been able to make. It removes from the system all the 
acids on which the disease depends, and allays the burn- 
ing, itching and irritation which result from the morbid 
activity of the skin and mucous membrane. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Bathing means the immersion of the body, or a part 
of it, for a medicinal purpose in a medium different 
from that which commonly surrounds it. The medicine 
in general use is water alone, or water holding medici- 
nal substances in solution. One of the most important 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 91 

things in a bath is its temperature. This ranges gen- 
erally between 33o and 123° Fahrenheit. A bath can 
not be used much lower than 33°, for an obvious reason, 
nor can a higher temperature than 123° be employed 
with a probability of a medicinal effect. 

For the purpose of practically arranging the temper- 
ature, Dr. Forbes has graduated it as follows : A cold 
bath, ranging from 33'^ to 60*^ Fahr. ; a cool bath, from 
60° to 75° ; a temperate bath, from 75° to 85° ; a tepid 
bath, from 85^ to 90*^ ; a warm bath, from 92® to 98^=^ ; 
and a hot bath, from 98^ to 112®. 

When water of a low temperature is for a moment 
applied to the body, a shock ensues, but this is soon 
followed by a pleasant re-action. But if the immersion 
is continued for any considerable length of time, and 
the temperature of the surface again diminished, then a 
sensation of actual cold, permanent tremors and shud- 
derings ensue ; the extremities are benumbed, the per- 
son becomes languid, exhausted, and, finally, powerless. 
No glow succeeds this second chill. The face becomes 
shrunken, the extremities diminish in size, so that rings 
will frequently fall from the fingers. The pulse be- 
comes small, and less frequent than natural, a feeling of 
oppression extends across the chest, and the renal secre- 
tions are increased. If a person leaves the bath before 
the accession of the second chill, or quite soon after, he 
will have a glow in ten or fifteen minutes, or even in 
less time, the blood returns to the surface, the extremi- 
ties recover their size, the stricture across the chest 
passes off, and a feeling of buoyancy ensues, with in- 
creased animal strength. 



92 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

The prominent features to be noticed in the effects 
above mentioned are the shock and the re-action. The 
chill may be so considerable, owing to a previously re- 
laxed state of the system, as that the shook may result 
in death. The fluids of the body recede from the sur- 
face in consequence of the torpor of the nervous system, 
and hence the shrinking of the capillaries, which force 
the blood back to the interior of the body, into the sub- 
stance of the large viscera, as the lungs, liver, &c. In 
the re-actory process, the overloaded viscera are power- 
fully aroused by their crowded state, and the muscles of 
the parts are sympathetically excited, as well as the 
nervous system ; increased heat follows ; and the fluids 
are returned to the surface, and the deranged functions 
are restored to order. 

From the above statement, it will be seen that the 
effects of the cold bath are varied by many circum- 
stances ; particularly greater or less vigor, or high or 
low temperature of the system ; hence the patient 
might be strengthened or weakened, benefited or injured, 
by it. And hence, too, the different opinions of physi- 
cians on the subject. One will call it a sedative, his 
friend will call it a stimulant, while another calls it a 
tonic. "We know the cold is sedative, and if its continu- 
ance is sufficiently protracted, it will surely end in 
death. But when the cold bath is used in a proper 
time and manner, it acts as a tonic of the first class. 

"When the shock is the only object of the bath, the 
water should be used at a low temperature, applied 
with force and suddenness, and for a short space of 
time. The patient should be plunged into a bath, and 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 93 

immediately withdrawn. Swooning and hysteria are 
oases where the shock is the only effect to be produced. 
The same application might be made in cases of mani- 
acal patients. 

Refrigeration. — To obtain this result the water 
should be but a little below the temperature of the body, 
but in continual contact with it until the effect is pro- 
duced. In symptomatic fever, resulting from inflam- 
mation of one of the viscera, this form of application 
is contra-indicated, and unless used with great caution 
will be attended with extreme danger ; but in cases of 
idiopathic fever, as the common, continued, or typhus 
fever, the water should be constantly applied by a 
sponge, and at a temperature but little below the heat 
of the body. 

Re-action, all other things being equal, is in propor- 
tion to the cold. A sudden immersion produces a 
greater re-action than a gradual one ; a plunge from a 
height produces greater re-action than a simple dip, 
however rapidly performed ; and the water falling from 
a great height on the body, has more effect than water 
of the same temperature applied as in ablution. Within 
certain limits, that is, within any period short of that 
at which healthy re-action ceases, the amount of the 
re-action will be proportioned to the degree of refriger- 
ation. The re-action will be in proportion to the heat 
of the surface at the time of taking the bath, sillowing 
always for individual peculiarities of habit. Cool skin 
or cold extremities are not a proper condition to warrant 



94 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

the use of the cold bath. But the skin should be warm, 
the circulation should be vigorous in the extremities, 
before entering the cold bath. Re-action is more cer- 
tainly produced when the bath is accompanied by mus- 
cular action, and hence a person swimming obtains a 
better glow, and more tonic effect, than he would if he 
were simply immersed in a bath, and continued in a 
state of repose. 

Whatever prevents the surface of the body from fall- 
ing below the proper degree of heat, or directly stimu- 
lates the skin, or excites the circulation, will propor- 
tionately increase the re- action. To insure this in- 
creased re- action we see the importance of speedily 
drying the body afterward, by strong and vigorous fric- 
tion, and sometimes it may be necessary to use warm 
and stimulating drinks, or active bodily exercise. Un- 
less the proper amount of re-action is secured the bath 
may be followed by increased coldness of the surface, 
and a congestion of some internal organ. 

Plunge Bath. — The best time in the twenty-four 
hours for a plunge bath is on rising, when the system 
has been refreshed by a night's repose. The nutritive 
organs have then been active in invigorating and repair- 
ing the body, and as there is more recuperative energy, 
the re-acting principle will be the more perfect. The 
next best time is about three or four hours after break-- 
fast. And in case the mineral water is to be drank, 
perhapa this hour may be allowed instead of the early 
morning, but the physical exercise should be very light, 
and if the skin is at all moist, it should be well dried 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 95 

before entering the bath. The mode of entering the 
bath, and the length of time to remain in it, must be 
regulated by the shock, the re-action, and the second 
chill, as above described. From five to ten minutes is a 
medium time to remain in the bath, and while in the 
water the limbs should be kept in motion. On leaving 
the bath the body should be dried as soon as possible 
with a dry towel, and then chafed with a coarse one, 
until a thorough re-action is produced, and a pleasant 
glow flushes the whole body. If a headache ensue, cold 
applications to the head would naturally suggest them- 
selves. But with the above-mentioned precautions, 
happy results will usually follow. These baths may be 
repeated daily, or every second day, according to the 
efiect produced on the patient. The greatest danger 
generally arises from staying too long in the bath. 

Shower Bath. — This bath differs from the plunge, in 
producing a greater shock, particularly if the quantity 
of water is great, its temperature low, and its fall coik 
siderable. In a shower bath the person is surrounded 
by the atmosphere, whereas, in a plunge bath, the body 
is surrounded by a menstruum much more dense than 
the atmosphere ; the precordial distress will hence be 
greater than in the plunge bath. In case of fulness, 
and pain about the head, the shower bath is preferable 
to the plunge, inasmuch as the cold and the shock are 
applied directly and at first to the head. In case of 
extreme pains about the head, the feet may be put into 
hot water, while the cold shower falls upon the head, 
and thus the circulation is more speedily restored. A 



96 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

common bathing tub, with a fixture for a shower bath 
placed over it, answers a good purpose for this kind of 
bath. 

Sponge Baths very nearly resemble in their effects 
the shower bath. They are accompanied by a less 
shock, and therefore less re-action. The daily and free 
application of the water to the head, neck, and chest, on 
rising, is one of the simplest and surest tonics we pos- 
sess, and is the best means of hardening the system 
against atmospheric changes, and preventing that unfor- 
tunate habit of " alio ays taking cold.'''' This class of 
persons should be particular to bathe their feet, for their 
extremities are most of the time wet with a morbid 
perspiration. 

The Douse or Douche, is a small stream of water 
directed with considerable force from a tube, upon some 
part of the body. This bath varies in effect, according 
to the diameter of the stream, the temperature of the 
water, and the force with which it is thrown upon the 
body. This is an agent of great power, owing to the 
incessant and rapid change of the particles of fluid ap- 
plied to the part to be affected. It may be used with 
great advantage in local inflammation. 

The Hip and Foot Baths are but so many local 
baths. The former is employed in diseases of the pel- 
vic viscera, and the latter to the lower extremities. 

While upon the subject, it might be well to name 
some of the morbid conditions in which the cold bathing 



HANr-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 97 

has been found to exert a thorough medicinal effect. It 
is generally applicable to youth and middle age. In 
infancy and old age it must be used with great caution. 
In cases of general debility, as in strumous habit, the 
cold bath, carefully applied, is followed by the happiest 
effects. "When the skin is relaxed and flabby, and there 
is a great tendency to perspiration, or to a cold clammy 
exudation, the cold saline bath is especially indicated. 
And again, when this state of the skin is accompanied 
by a catarrhal disease, the tonic cold bath is especially 
valuable, as also in nervous diseases, as chorea, hysteria, 
and some cases of epilepsy ; also in the loss of certain 
functions, as the voice, smell, taste, &o. ; local paraly- 
sis, unaccompanied by organic disease of the brain ; in 
cases of nervous dyspepsia, unattended by inflammation 
of the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane ; and in the 
intervals of asthma, w^here the system is in a situation 
to produce the re-action. 

Temperate Bath is 75'^ to 85^. The effects of this 
bath on the system are of precisely the same kind as 
those of the cold bath, but less in degree. It is appli- 
cable to a different class of cases, from those for which 
the cold bath should be used. Persons not strong, 
those who have an instinctive shrinking from the ap- 
plication of cold water, and when danger might result 
to some internal organ, as in cases of organic diseases of 
the heart, or a tendency to internal congestion, or when 
there is sensitiveness of the nervous system ; in either 
of these instances this bath is to be substituted for the 

5 



98 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

cold. The shock and the re-action are intended to be 
the same thing in kind, but simply different in degree. 

Warm Bath. — The immediate effect of the warm bath 
is generally the opposite of the cold. The first impres- 
sion of the warm bath is grateful, the whole nervous 
system is soothed, and a gentle languor steals over the 
mind. Slight pains, spasms and irritations are remov- 
ed, and general irritation is not unfrequently allayed 
in baths varying from 92° to 98°. If the temperature 
of the bath is increased, the tranquillity is superseded 
by excitement and pain. If the heat be still increased, 
the feelings are painfully excited, and the temporary 
stimulus is followed by a proportional degree of ex- 
haustion. The warm bath influences the system either 
by elevating the temperature of the whole body or a 
part of it. If the temperature of the parts of the body 
which come in contact with the medium, is higher than 
the medium itself, the body makes an effort to bring the 
medium to its own temperature, and vice versa. The 
range of temperature to which the body is subject is 
not a very wide one. While life remains, it is limited 
to a few degrees. In a bath the skin exhales and ab- 
sorbs materials from the bath in a proportion varied by 
its temperature. At 50° the absorption exceeds the 
transudation ; from 50° to 70° the two effects are near- 
ly balanced ; but from 70° upward the transudation 
exceeds the absorption, and the excess progressively in- 
creases with the temperature. Warm water modifies 
the texture of the skin, perhaps in part by absorption, 
and partly from a specific action on the animal fibre. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 99 

This bath also regulates the circulation, and increases 
the volume of the whole person, as well as the amount 
of the fluids in the body. After long fatigue, as hard 
walking, riding, or any severe exercise, the body, as 
before said, should bo left to cool, before going into the 
bath, which should be grateful to the patient. This is 
in general from 94° to 96°. After the fatigues of a 
few days' travel the skin becomes dry, the secretions are 
diminished, the blood is irregularly distributed, the ner- 
vous system is excited, and a low slow fever frequently 
supervenes. Under^bhis state of the system the warm 
bath is an appropriate prescription. 

After long and continued mental excitement, as in 
protracted study, or of the disturbance of the system 
by late hours, crowded rooms, and bad air, the warm 
bath is just the restorative required. 

In a dry skin, with a chronic digestion of some inter- 
nal organ, the bath is an appropriate remedy. It is also 
applicable to a more generally deranged state of the sys- 
tem, as in chronic nervous diseases of a spasmodic 
character, unattended by phthisis or inflammation of 
the nervous centres. Of this kind are croup and con- 
vulsions generally. Also in the treatment of nervous 
affections which occur in persons of spare habit, who 
suffer from pain disproportioned to the attending inflam- 
mation. Of this kind may be mentioned the numer- 
ous forms of neuralgia, including sciatica, lumbago, 
gastralgia, colic, spasms from gall-stones, calculi in 
the ureters, &c. In inflammation of the abdominal and 
pelvic organs, when the inflammation has been in a meas- 
ure reduced, as in dysentery, diarrhoea, enteritis, oysti- 



100 HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 

tis, the tath at 96° or 97° is a useful remedy. Care, 
in these instances, must be taken to reduce the inflam- 
mation at first, and then to use the bath not above 97°, 
or the disease will be aggravated rather than diminished. 

The bath is also an appropriate remedy in diseases of 
the same viscera unattended perhaps by pain, but yet 
of a very annoying character. Such are those cases of 
gastro-enteritis accompanied by dyspepsia, constipation, 
also chronic irritation or inflammation of the bladder, 
kidneys, leucorrhoea and the like diseases, which so 
frequently occur in the pelvic visdira. 

In no cases are these baths more applicable, or attend- 
ed with more prompt and happy results. The cases of 
dyspepsia which come under this class, where the func- 
tions of the skin are deranged, its appearance altered, 
and attended by a fixed distress or pain in some part 
of the digestive organ, the bath is also one of the most 
important remedies. It is also valuable in most cases 
of dyspepsia, and in various chronic diseases of a 
cachectic kind, with derangements of important organs, 
a depressed state of the blood, with an^irregular distribu- 
tion of it, as in cases of long protracted dyspepsia, with 
constipation, diabetes, chlorosis, and gout. In this last 
disease the bath is to be used in interims between the 
paroxysms, and not during'the acute state of the disease. 

In diseases of the skin, either idiopathic or sympto- 
matic, the warm bath is of the first importance. It acts 
directly on the part diseased, and removes the morbid 
secretions from the surface which are liable to irritate 
the organ, and to be re-absorbed. 

The alkaline, astringent, and alterative medicines, 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 101 

are proper in these baths. In medicated baths the pa- 
tient should remain not less than thirty minutes, and 
sometimes perhaps for two or three hours, in order to 
obtain the whole effect which is to be desired. 

The temperature of a bath required for refreshment, 
must be between 93° and 98° Fahr. But lower than 
^'■]^ is not often agreeable to the patient, and higher 
than 98° produces exhaustion and debility. 

The Hot Bath is a powerful, yet temporary stimu- 
lant to the nervous and vascular systems. It does not 
soothe or promote the natural actions of the system, 
but excites them irregularly and forcibly. It tends 
more to disturb than to equalize the functions of the or- 
gans. It violently excites the heart and blood vessels, 
the carotids swell and throb, the heat of the head 
increases, and headache, giddiness, and many other 
cerebral symptoms ensue ; the skin becomes red and 
swollen by the great afflux of blood in its vessels. But 
this engorged state of the skin does not relieve internal 
congestion, as we might be led to expect, for experience 
teaches that contrary results more generally follow. 
The great tension of the surface is after a time relieved 
by a profuse and general perspiration, and if the bath 
is continued, although the pulse remain quick, the in- 
creased excitement is speedily followed by general lassi- 
tude and debility ; torpor and somnolency supervene. 
Cases for its use are spasmodic cholera, agues, &c. In 
sudden recessions of diseases of the skin, as in measles, 
scarlet fever, impetigo, and many others, enteritis, from 
retrocedent gout, and in indolent diseases of the skin in 
paralysis, where there is no congestion of the brain to 



102 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

contra indicate it, its use has been "beneficial. But it 
is a very active agent, and, like all other decidedly ac- 
tive agents, must be used with caution, or great and 
irreparable injuries may result. 

The stimulating effects and the relaxing consequences 
constitute the value of this bath. 

Mineral Water Baths. — Without entering into the 
question of the active absorptive powers of the skin, 
and the large amount of medicine which may be con- 
veyed into the system by this great and important or- 
gan, it may be safely said, that the mineral baths have 
an effect very different from simple water. A mineral 
bath is more tonic than one of ordinary water. The 
skin, weakened and relaxed by debility, exudes rather 
than perspires, and will be very differently affected by a 
fresh and a mineral bath. The latter will fulfill all the 
results which the former can possibly produce, and then 
have in addition a stimulant and tonic effect. It will 
leave the capillaries of the skin more constringed, and 
the tissues of the whole organ more firm and vigorous. 

In extreme cases of cutaneous disease, patients have 
been benefited by remaining several hours at a time in 
a warm bath, with repetition at short intervals, so as to 
be under its influence for ten or twelve hours out of the 
twenty-four. 

From great indifference to the subject of bathing, the 
public mind has within a few years been turned to it 
strongly, and now perhaps there may be as much dan- 
ger of excess as heretofore there has been from neglect. 
Extremes in all things are to be deplored and guarded 
against. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 103 



CHAPTER YII. 

ROCK AND FOSSILS. 

Potsdam Sandstone. — This rock is interesting from 
the fact that it contains the earliest fossil, viz. : the Lin- 
gula. This fossil carries us back to the dawn of ani- 
mal life on the earth, for it has heen present through all 
the changes which the earth's crust has undergone since 
the formation of the Potsdam sandstone to the present 
time. Each group, in every geological era, has a species 
of the lingula entombed in its rocks, and even the ocean 
is said to contain living specimens of the same species, 
which in due time will make part of the rock, which is 
now in process of formation at the bottom of the seas. 
This rock is called the " paleozoic base," and crops out 
about two and a half miles northwest from the village. 
It is gray, or brownish-colored rock. 

The Calciferous Sand Rock is the next geological 
formation above the Potsdam sandstone. It lies be- 
tween the last named rock and the limestone. This 
is the lowest rock which contains anthracite coal. In 
this instance, the coal is associated with quartz. This 
rock also contains fucoides, which are supposed to be the 
source from which the coal is derived.^' This is the sur- 
face rock at Saratoga Springs, and is the one through 
which the miiieral loater rises. The upper layer of this 

* New- York Geological Survey, 



104 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

group, or that stratum which lies next to the limestone, 
is hard; having a large proportion of silex, and fre- 
quently contains geodes filled with crystals of quartz. 
This rock furnishes hut few fossils, some portions none 
at all. 

Oolite. — This formation occurs in the caloiferous 
group, and lies along the southern extremities of the 
Palmertown and Kayaderasseras mountains. The cal- 
careous concretions which characterize this formation 
are arranged in successive layers through the stratum in 
which they appear. They are ahout the size of mus- 
tard seed, and globular in form. In some of the speci- 
mens of Oolite, these globules compose one half of the 
stone. 

The Trenton Limestone group is composed of slate 
and limestone alternating with each other. Some of 
the strata contain fossils which characterize this group, 
and distinguish it from others higher in the geological 
series. This rock does not occur east of Schenectady, 
in the Mohawk Valley, or east of Baker's Falls, in the 
Hudson river valley. It occurs at Glen's Falls and at 
Rowland's Mills, two miles west of Saratoga Springs. 
It occupies the bank of the Mohawk, near Amsterdam, 
thence ranges northward into Saratoga county, thence 
eastward around the points of the mountain, and enters 
Warren county at Grlen's Falls, and Washington coun- 
ty, near Sandyhill. The strata vary in thickness from 
four inches to two feet. This rock has been manufac- 
tured, and some of the varieties make very fair mar- 
ble. Other specimens contain cherts and hornstone, 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 105 

and will not receive a polish. Large blocks of the mar- 
ble, quite pure, are quarried at Grlen's Falls, on the 
south side of the river. The Hudson river, at Glen's 
Falls, would seem to have worn a passage through the 
lime rocks, seventy feet in depth ; and in some parts of 
the narrow gorge, between Grlen's Falls and Baker's Falls, 
through which the river flows, the rocks on either side 
have a perpendicular height of more than one hundred 
feet. 

Utica Slate. — This group consists of dark-colored 
argillaceous slate. It occurs at Baker's Falls, Cohoes 
Falls, Ballston Spa, and Saratoga lake. The rock is 
sometimes black, and highly carbonaceous, and glazed 
with anthracite. 

So highly charged is this slate with carbon, that it 
has been mistaken for coal, and attempts (it is said), 
have been made to work the rock for that purpose. 

The Hudson River Slate group extends from the 
southern line of the county of Saratoga, forming the 
bed of the Hudson to Baker's Falls, and also of the Mo- 
hawk, and forms in part, the elevated table lands lying 
back from both the Mohawk and the Hudson rivers. 
Portions of this group are singularly contorted at the Co- 
hoes Falls, Visscher's Ferry, Alexander's Bridge, Upper 
Aqueduct and Snake Hill, on the east shore of Saratoga 
lake.^ The rocks of this group are slates, shales and 
grits, and have been called Greywacke slate, Grey- 
wacke shale, and Greywacke.t 

* see impression on the cover of this book. 
t New-York Geological Report. 

5# 



106 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

Hudson River Gtroup. — These rocks are found at 
Snake Hill, on the east shore of Saratoga lake, and on 
the Mohawk at the lower aqueduct. 

The remaining rocks of the county are primary, oc- 
cupying ahout two fifths of the northwest parts of it. 

FOSSILS. 

The fossils in this county are principally found at 
Ashley's Quarry, Baker's Falls, Ballston Spa, Galway, 
Glen's Fall^, Greenfield, Sandy Hill, Snake Hill, and 
"Waterford. 



This locality is situated about four miles west of the 
village of Saratoga Springs, and on the road leading from 
the village to Rowland's Mills, via Cady Hill. 

The quarry may he seen a few rods north of the 
point where the highway crosses the mill-pond ; and a 
small cluster of buildings in the same direction, and 
near by, will enable a stranger even to identify the 
locality. The quarry has been considerably worked in 
times past, which now increases the facility for obtain- 
ing fossil specimens at this place. 

The following specimens were obtained during the 
autumn of 1858, and no doubt a suitable efibrt will 
very much extend this list of such fossil specimens as 
are peculiar to the '* Trenton Limestone Formation :" 



HAND-BOOK OP SARATOGA. 



107 



Asaphus latimarginata, 
Atrypa acutirostra, 
Atrypa extans, 
Atrypa increbescens, 
Atrypa modesta, 
Atrypa plena. 

Butliotrephis flexuosa, 
Butliotrephis succulens, 
Capulus auriformis, 
Chsetetes Lycoperdon, 
Columnaria alveolata. 

Glyptocrinus decadactylus, 
Graptolitlius''ramosti8, 
Graptolithus scalaris, 
Graptolithus Sagittarius. 

Heterocrimis decadactalus, 
Illsenus crassicanda, 



Leptsena alternata, 
Leptffina fasciata, 
Leptiena sericea. 

Ortlioceras anellum, 
Ortlioceras junceum, 
Orthoceras laqueatum. 

Palcephycus rugosus, 
Pleurotomaria turgida, 
Poteriocrinus alternatus. 

Retepora incepta, 
Retepora gracilis. 

Schizocrinus nodosus, 
Scyphocrinus lieterocostalis, 
Stictopora acuta, 
Stictopora fenestrata. 



baker's falls. 

These falls are in the Hudson river, about twenty- 
miles in a northeast direction from the village of Sara- 
toga Springs. The more feasible way to reach the lo- 
cality, is by railroad from Saratoga Springs to Moreau 
Station, and thence by stage to the Falls. 

The fossils occur in a stratum of the Utica slate 
which is about thirty feet in thickness, and is literally 
composed of fossil impressions, which are remarkably 
well preserved. 

On the east bank of the stream the rocks are more 
upturned and displaced than upon the opposite bank of 
the river, and it is therefore the better place to collect the 
fossil specimens of this locality ; besides, the rocks on 



108 HAND-BOOK ©F SARATOGA. 

the opposite bank are more horizontal, and unless the 
water is very low, are generally covered. 

Among the fossils to be obtained at this locality are 
the 

Graptolithus secalinus, Graptolitlius pristis, 

BALLSTON SPA. 

The fossils of this locality are to be found in the vil- 
lage of BallstoU; about seven miles in a southwest direc- 
tion from the village of Saratoga Springs. The rocks 
which contain them is the XJtica slate, and forms the 
bed of a small stream near the residence of Mr. Taylor. 

The fossils are the 

Graptolitlius bicornis, Graptolithus ramosus, 

Graptolithus pristis, Graptolithus serratulus. 

GALWAY. 

This locality is situated about two miles east of Gal- 
way Corners, and near a lime kiln. 

The rock is the Trenton limestone, and the cast of 
the fossils are better preserved than those of the same 
class at Glen's Falls. The distance of the locality from 
Saratoga Springs is about fourteen miles, and the route 
lies along a beautifully varied country of sandy plains, 
and high, rolling table- lands. 

The fossils are the 

Atrypa acutirostra, Buthotrephis flexuosa, 

Atrypa extans, Buthotrephis succulens, 

Atrypa increbeseens, Capulus auriformis, 

Atrypa modesta, Cheetetes lycoperdon, 

Atrypa plena, Columnaria alveolata, 
Bellerophon bilobatus, 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 109 

Glyptocrinus decadactylus Ortlioccras laqueatum. 
Graptolitlms ramosus, 

Graptolitlaus scalaris, Palfcophyciis nigosus, 

Graptolithns Sagittarius, Pleurotomaria ambigua." 

Heterocrinus heterodactylus. _, 

T„ • . J Keteporaincepta, 

lllsenus crassicanda, „ ' ^ 

Retepora gracilis. 

Leptrena alternata, 

Leptoena fasciata, Schizocriniis nodosus, 

Leptoena serica. Scypbocrinus beterocostalis, 

Stictopora acuta, 

Ortboceras junceum, Stictopora fenestrata. 



glen's falls. 

This locality is about twenty miles in a northeast 
direction from Saratoga Springs, and about four miles 
up the stream from Baker's Falls. Extensive quar- 
rying has been done heretofore at this place, which ex- 
posed the fossils peculiar to this locality in great numbers ; 
but at the present time the Poleontologist is mainly 
limited to the small blocks to be found in the bed of the 
river, and are only to be obtained at times of low water. 
And the fossils in some of these blocks are so highly 
crystalline that the nice striae of the shells are often 
destroyed in splitting the stones. 

The following specimens are to be found at this lo- 
cality : 

Atrypa acutirostra, Butbotrephis succulens, 

Atrypa extans, Belleropbon bilobatus, 

Atrypa increbescens, Columnaria alveolata, 

Atrypa modesta, Calymene senaria, 

Deltbyrus lynx, 
Butbotrepbis flexuosa, Escbaropora recta, 



110 HAND-BOOK *0F SARATOGA. 

Leptsena alternata, Poterioerinus alternata. 

Leptc^na sericea. Stictopora acuta. 

PaljBopliycus simplex, Trinuclius concentric us. 

GREENFIELD. 

This locality lies about four miles northwest of the 
village of Saratoga Springs, and one mile north of Mil- 
ler Hoyt's lime- kiln, and on the east side of the high- 
way leading from Greenfield Centre to the village of 
Ballston Spa, via Rowland's Mills. 

Oolite. 

SANDY HILL. 

This locality lies between Baker's Falls and Glen's 
Falls, on the west side of the Hudson river, and a few 
rods below the ferry. This locality can only be exam- 
ined when the water is low in the river. 

The fossils are the 

Nultainia concentrica, Graptolithus dentatus. 

Neirthus becii, 



SARATOGA SPRINGS. 

In the Railroad Cut in the village of Saratoga Springs 
was found the 

Euomplialus uniangulatus, Pleurotomaria turgida. 

SNAKE HILL. 

This hill is situated on the east shore of Saratoga 
Lake, and is plainly to be seen from the '' Lake House;" 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. Ill 

indeed, it is the most prominent feature of the east- 
ern shore. 

The fossils of this locality are the 

Heterocrinns grascilis, Graptolitlius bicomis, 

Olenus undulostriatus, Graptolitlius pristis. 

WATERFORD. 

This locality is in the southeast corner of the county, 
and has the following list of fossil specimens : 

Ambonychia radiata, Lyrodesma pulcliella, 

Bellerophon cancellatus, Modiolopsis nuculiformis, 

Cleidophorus planulatus, Miarchisonia gracilis, 

Carinaropsis patelliformis, Theca triangularis, 

Carinaropsis orbiculatus, Trinucleus concentricus. 

Magnetic Iron Ore occurs in the primary rocks of 
this county as an injected mass, or as an intrusive rock. 
A large body of this ore exists in the mountain south 
of the confluence of Sacondaga with the Hudson ; and 
about two miles south of Hadley or Rockwell falls. 
Ten or fifteen veins have been described, and one from 
five to eight feet wide. When the Porter vein was 
opened, it was found to increase in width as they 
descended into the rock, and with less of feldspar. The 
ore is said to make very soft, strong iron, and to be 
superior even to the Arnold bed. The ore is quartzy, 
and yields from thirty to fifty per cent, of iron. 

Chrysoberyl is found about two miles north of Sara- 
toga Springs, and on the farm of the late John Miller. 
It occurs in a vein of granite traversing genis, and is 
associated with tourmaline, garnet, apatite feldspar 
and mica. Its color is yellowish green. This is the 



112 HAND-BOOK* OP SARATOGA. 

only locality in the State which furnishes the chryso- 
beryl. 

Clay Balls are found ahout the shores of Saratoga 
lake. These balls are supposed to form around the roots 
of plants, as they generally have a perforation in which 
the root of the plant has been found. It is supposed 
the root absorbs the water and the carbonic acid from 
the clay, and rejects the carbonate of lime, which had 
been previously held in solution by the water and the 
carbonic acid. And thus accumulates around the root 
of the plant, which with the clay becomes after a time 
an indurated egg-shaped ball. 

A Boulder is a rounded mass of rock, of no deter- 
minate size, displaced, and apparently transported, 
by water. These rocks are supposed to have been 
brought to their present shape by attrition, together 
with atmospheric influences. Those which are found 
in the valley of the Hudson, are generally thought to 
have been brought from the primitive rocks, which form 
the mountain ranges in northern New- York. In this 
county we find these stones in a great variety of forms 
and sizes, many of them weighing many tons. The 
towns of Hadley, Corinth, Greenfield, G-alway, and 
Ballston, are among those which furnish the largest 
specimens. 

Marl. — Fresh water marl is formed by the decay of 
successive generations of shells, in the bottom of fresh 
water lakes and ponds. When, from any cause, these 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 113 

places are raised to a level compatible with the germin- 
ation of seed, there follows a succession of growth and 
decay of vegetable matter, which may result in a de- 
posit of peat, and hence it is not unusually found over- 
lying the marl. Marl has not been found very gener- 
ally in this country. There is a bed of it, however, 
about the outlet of Ballston Lake, on the farm of Mr. 
Irish, which has been used as a fertilizer, and with 
marked success. It would undoubtedly prove profitable 
to the agriculturist, if farmers would use much more of 
it than they now do, for the action of the elements on 
the chemicals generally present in soils, renders the lime 
soluble, and it is actually carried away. 

There is another bed of marl on the farm of Dr. Oliver 
Brisbin, in the town of Saratoga. This bed has been but 
little used as yet, but wherever it has been applied, deci- 
dedly beneficial effects have followed its use. It has been 
suspected by geologists, that it may underlie the sandy 
soils, wliich prevail to so large an extent in this county. 
But the probability is, that beds of marl will be confined 
to that part of the county adjacent to the Hudson River ; 
for the water of this region, flowing over the limestone 
rocks, at last finds its way into the lakes, otherwise suffi- 
cient lime would not be supplied to produce a deposite of 
shells. 

Soil is composed of various mineral substances, united 
in comparatively small proportions with animal and veg- 
etable matter. 

The mineral parts of soil are composed of the same 
substances which constitute the mountain rocks, and 
the mineral masses which form the crust of the earth. 
The rocks are broken down by degrees, and then acted 



114 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

upon by air and water, by which process they become 
well adapted to the reception and vegetation of seed 
generally. The varieties of rocks and mineral masses 
which exist on the earth, and compose its surface, are 
comparatively small, and may be comprised in the fol- 
lowing list, viz. : Silica, alumina, magnesia, soda, and 
potassa, and oxyde of iron. 

With the predominance of either of the above sub- 
stances in a given locality, the soil, of course, as well as 
the character of the vegetables, correspondingly varies. 

SiLicious Soil, or that composed principally of silex, 
is very widely spread over the earth's crust. It is found 
in quartz, and of course enters largely into the composi- 
tion of granite, and the various silicates, as serpentine, 
tumalite, diallage, and hornblende ; and when we exam- 
ine the rocks which compose the mountains to the north 
and west of the county, and consider the very large 
proportion of silex which enters into their composition, 
we are at no loss to account for the origin of the sandy 
plains which there prevail so extensively. 

Where this sand occurs in coarse grains it is much 
less productive as a soil, than when more comminuted ; 
and the less or greater degree of trituration which the 
particles have undergone, will determine the different 
degrees of productiveness which characterize adjacent 
sections. 

Soils, apparently the same, also materially differ in 
their degree of productiveness, in consequence of the 
differing amounts of vegetable matter contained in 
them, and are rendered still less fertile if they occupy 
elevated land, where water, at a low temperature, satu- 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 115 

•ates the surface. In localities of this description pas- 
urage is poor, and plowed lands are unavailable. In 
)ther cases, where clay exists in combination with sand 
io as to produce a sand loam, very fair farms are devel- 
Dped. This soil prevails in the town of Saratoga 
Springs, "Wilton, Corinth, Hadley, and the west part of 
JVEoreau and Northumberland. It occupies a large pro- 
Dortion of Eastern New- York, and prevails generally in 
ifteen out of twenty counties of the State.* 

Aluminous is the next variety of soil most abun- 
dant, the base of which is alumina. It is found by 
the breaking down of greywacke slates, and shales. 
fn combination with silex, it forms a large proportion of 
kll the rocks and mineral masses on the earth. The 
slate rocks crop out at two miles' distance from the 
springs, in a southerly direction, on the Ellis Farm. 
From this point they run in a northeast direction to Fort 
Miller, on the Hudson, and may be seen skirting the 
sand plains on their eastern border, from the town of 
Clifton Park to Moreau. 

When alumina is in excess, in soils, it makes cold and 
wet farms, but when combined with silex the clay loam 
is formed ; this, with the addition of an ordinary 
imount of vegetable and animal matter, gives good 
farming lands ; and when to this is added marl, or lime 
in. some form, farming land of the best quality is the 
result. 

This is the composition of the soil along the banks of 

* A belt of sand nine hundred miles wide, extends (with the exception of the 
Galley of the Nile) from the eastern coast of Africa near the Chinese frontier, a 
listance nearly equal in circumference of the globe. This sandy zone has been esti- 
aated to contain over six millions of square miles. 



116 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, also about the Saratoga 
and Ballston lakes, and the creeks in the southeast part 
of the county. This soil is of considerable depth, anci 
very productive, yielding grass and all the cereals in 
abundance ; and I am told , in districts of this characterr 
strangers, passing by, mistaking pastures for meadows 
in the goodness of their hearts, not unfrequently call ai 
the farm-houses, and inform the occupants that theiii 
cows or their horses are in their meadows. 

The Calcareous Soils, or those in which lime pre-? 
dominates, are the result of the breaking down of thee' 
different forms of carbonate of lime, which exist sec 
abundantly through the world. 

The Magnesian Soil is that in which magnesia exists? 
variously combined. This and the soils just beforet 
named, prevail in "Western New- York, and with the adi 
dition of gypsum, large quantities of vegetable and ani-i 
mal matter combined, make up the rich lands of thai 
fertile region. 

Ferruginous Soils are those in which the oxydes oj' 
iron prevail. 

VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. 

To the botanist this whole county is full of interest 
indeed, it may perhaps with truth be asserted, thai 
every flowering plant in the country to be found in the* 
latitude of this county, has its representative withini 
its limits. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 117 

The climate, from the nature and shape of the sur- 
iaoe, is unusually dry, and consequently the range of 
.he thermometer is very great ; yet, the extremes of 
leat and cold do not affect the surface nearly so much 
is in moister atmospheres. From an acquaintance with 
;he nature and variety of the soil which prevails in the 
50unty, it might be readily inferred, that a correspond- 
ent variety would be found in its vegetable products, 
rhis is observable in the forest timber and smaller 
slants. 

In the eastern and southern portions of the county, 
ipples, and a variety of peaches, have once abounded ; 
)ut now, the varieties are few, and the fruit is not so 
:ich as formerly. 

Cherries. — Every variety succeeds well. 

Pears succeed remarkably well, in nearly every 
variety. In the central portions, the small fruits, as 
strawberries, raspberries, whortleberries, and blackber- 
ies are indigenous and abundant, and will bear high 
jultivation. 

Several varieties of wild grapes cultivated, are highly 
mproved by the process. They are abundant in the 
andy portion of the county. Maples, hickories, elms, 
laks, butternuts, chestnuts, beeches, birches, basswoods, 
spens, black and white ash,- black cherry, crab apple, 
.re plenty in the eastern part of the county. 

The central portion has been, and is now remarkable 
or the number, beauty, and variety of its evergreens. 
Che species of these most common, are white and yel- 



118 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

low pines, yellow, white, and red cedar, double spruce,, 
balsam, and hemlock. These sand plains on the cen 
tral part of the flat, were once covered with a heavV; 
growth of these fine trees ; but the hand of improve! 
ment, so called, has swept them . recklessly away, and 
unless some care is taken, it may be that before very 
long, our beautifal groves will all disappear, and the 
charms of our winter landscapes will all be gone. It 
is not very long since, when expostulating with a landn 
holder for cutting away every trace of evergreen within 
view of his residence, we received the cool reply, thati 
they were " nothing hut pines. ^^ And so those stately^ 
trees, old tenants of the forest, which had weathered 
the storm and glinted the sunshine, and braced them 
selves against the winds of centuries, were felled and 
riven by the axe of the woodman without a singki 
thought of regret, or a single sentiment of remorse. 

Grasses. — Those parts of the county lying along the 
banks of the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, the Kayaderr 
asseras Oreek, and the shores of the lakes, are well 
adapted to the growth of grasses. 

Timothy is one of the most important grasses foi 
fodder, and is abundantly produced in the above mem 
tioned parts of the county. • , 

Clover grows luxuriantly in most parts of the coun 
ty. The red is much used to redeem farms which hav< 
been too much worn by want of a proper rotation o 
crops. The white clover is indigenous, and is found it 
every part of the county. The fox tail (Alopeicearui 
practensis), and red top, are the most cultivated for ha; 
in this county. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 119 

Grains. — Rye is much cultivated in many parts of 
the county, and particularly the sandy portions of it 
are well adapted to the growth of this esculent grain- 
This grain ground, and combined with corn, meal, 
makes a very healthy and nutritious bread. Two va- 
rieties, the winter and spring rye, are cultivated in the 
county. 

Wheat. — This favorite grain was much cultivated in 
the county in early times, but in later years it has 
been so much injured by the weevil, that it is but rarely 
sown. The spring wheat is less likely to be injured by 
the insects than the winter wheat, but is not considered 
so good for bread, and is but little cultivated at the 
present time ; and the inhabitants of the county mainly 
depend upon the western country for their wheat flour. 

Oats are much cultivated in the county, and may 
be said to be one of the staple crops. They are mainly 
used as feed for horses. 

Maize is the most important grain crop raised in the 
county. Every farmer raises more or less of it. It con- 
stitutes quite a large proportion of the bread in the least 
productive parts of the county. 

Potato. — This plant is well adapted to the climate 
and soil of the county. Large crops of it are culti- 
vated along the canals and railroads, and a great num- 
ber of bushels every year find their way to New-York 
city. The potato enters largely into the daily food of 
all classes of the people, and is one of the most import- 
ant crops cultivated in the county. 

Buckwheat is also cultivated to some extent. 



120 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

Beans grow well in most parts of the county, and it 
is to be regretted that they are not more cultivated and 
eaten by the laboring classes generally. 

Most of the county is well adapted to horticulture ; 
and all the garden vegetables usually cultivated in this 
latitude flourish in the soils of this region. 

It is to be regretted, that in so large a portion of this 
county there is so much negligence on the part of land- 
holders in regard to private gardens. An increased 
amount and variety of vegetables would add greatly to 
the comfort of the household, and a little care in the 
cultivation of flowers and ornamental shrubs, would 
furnish healthful and pleasant employment to the 
younger members of the family, and greatly improve 
their habits of observation. 

DRIVES ABOUT SARATOGA. 

The drive most commonly selected is to Saratoga 
Lake. This is a beautiful sheet of water, and lies four 
miles east from the village of Saratoga Springs. The 
lake is eight miles long and two and a half wide. Its 
main inlet is the Kayaderasseras creek, which flows into 
the lake through its western bank. The water of the 
lake passes through Fish Creek and unites with that of 
the Hudson river, at Schuylerville. The western shore 
of the lake near its outlet, rises into a beautiful bluff 
of fifty feet, and on the top of this bluff is situated the 
** Lake House," from the piazza of which may be had 
a fine view of the lake and its eastern shore, with Snake 
Hill. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 121 

The Lake House is a favorite eating place, where 
game dinners are served up in the most approved style. 
Persons fond of angling, rowing, or sailing, can here 
enjoy their favorite pastime, on one of the most beauti- 
ful lakes in the country. The bait-fish and the boats 
are always in waiting on the shore, and cooks are in 
readiness to serve up, at short notice, any fish which 
may chance to be caught. 

Chapman's Hill. — The angling and sailing may be dis- 
pensed with, and the drive be extended across the bridge, 
along the lake shore for a mile, where a tarn to the left 
up the hill, will soon bring one to Chapman's Hill, 
from the top of which, and one hundred and eighty- 
eight feet above the level of the lake, a beautiful west- 
ern landscape is spread before the observer. The lake 
is almost under his feet, a mirrored surface of twenty 
miles square. The western shore of the lake rises 
rapidly to the table-land, which spreads away to the 
west, a distance of ten or twelve miles, and is merged 
in the base of the Kayaderasseras mountains, giving a 
view from forty to fifty miles in extent. Its surface is 
beautifully variegated with fallow, meadow, and wood- 
land, and the tenements and out buildings of the farm- 
ers are thickly dispersed and reflect, each for itself, a 
few sunbeams, making many bright spots in the land- 
scape ; while in the background, the bold range of Ihe 
Kayaderasseras mountains rises to the height of two 
thousand feet above the level of tide- water, and stretches 
along the horizon for fifty or sixty miles. The moun- 
tain rises out of the table-land, as its base, and lifts up 
its summit into the sky, while the distance tints its 
peak with a most exquisite azure. 

6 



122 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

Wagman's Hill. — By continuing the drive still 
farther in a northeastern direction for about three 
miles, through a rich farming country, a view of 
Wagman's Hill is obtained. This jDoint is fifty- 
seven feet higher than Chapman's Hill, and com- 
mands a more extended panoramic view. The Adi- 
rondac mountains appear in the extreme north, the 
Kayaderasseras spreading a deep blue border along 
the western horizon, the Helderberg and the Catskill 
skirting the distant south, while the Grreen mountain 
chain borders the eastern view, each subdued and soft- 
ened by distance, as the tops blend with the sky. This 
very beautiful view as it spreads away to the north- 
west and to the southwest, places within the range of 
the eye, one thousand square miles of farming lands, 
with waving grain and deep shaded meadows ; the 
mountain forest, and the wood lot of the farmer, cast- 
ing a cool shade across the fallow field, as though to 
protect it from the scorching rays of a summer's sun, 
while the Fish creek, winding its way to the Hudson, 
and increased by many a mountain stream, enlivens and 
beautifies the whole of the landscape. This hill is 
seven miles from town, to which a party can return, by 
Stafford's bridge and Avery's Lake House, in ample 
time for dinner. 

Hagerty Hill is situated six miles north of Saratoga 
Springs, and nearly on the plank road leading from the 
village to Luzerne on the Hudson river. It is about 
half a mile due west from Grreenfield Centre, and com- 
mands a western, southern, and eastern view.^ On 

* Tins point is eiglit hundred feet above tide water. 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 123 

the west rises the bold range of the Kayaderasseras 
mountain, extending far away to the north, and to the 
south is spread out a wide plain, covered with ever- 
greens, and bounded by high and broken ranges of 
mountain land south of the Mohawk river. But to the 
east, a still more beautiful part of the same landscape 
greets the eye. 

Almost under the feet and spreading away to the 
east, lies a deep basin surrounded by a high range of 
land, except to the south. This basin is thickly dotted 
over with farms, woodland, villages and lakes, and 
margined on its extreme east by the G-reen mountain 
range on the east side of the Hudson river. This is a 
beautiful drive of six miles out, and on returning to 
town, the road east through Greenville Centre, will give 
a partial, yet very pretty view from "Meeting-House 
hill," midway between G-reenfield Centre and St. John's 
Corners. At St. John's the right hand road is to be 
taken, which leads over the Hewit and Westcott Hills. 
These are very pretty views of distant mountain scene- 
ry, and will impart a little variety to the drive, and not 
materially increase the distance back to town. 

Waring Hill. — The boldest and most imposing view 
within a convenient drive from the Springs is " Waring 
Hill," on the road to " Mount Pleasant." Here within 
the distance of sixteen miles from town, an elevation is 
attained of two thousand feet above tide-water, and 
one of the highest points of land between the valley of 
the Hudson and Lake Ontario. 

From this point of observation all the other views 
which have been previously noticed, come within the 



124 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. ] 

range of the observer's eye ; and the far distant tops of 
the mountains as they gradually pass into the azure 
sky, present one of the most beautiful landscape bor- 
derings anywhere to be found. This view gives the 
villages of Saratoga, Ballston Spa, Schenectady, "Water- 
ford, Mechanicsville, Schuylerville, and the smaller set- 
tlements generally through the county. Also Saratoga 
lake. Fish creek, Owl pond, Ballston lake and Round 
lake ; together with the winding stream of Kayader- 
asseras, from its "source in the sides of the moun- 
tain to its entrance into the Saratoga lake, and the 
whole course of the Hudson from its confluence with 
the Sacandaga, until it is lost in the midst of the Cats- 
kill mountains. These all lie within the rano:e of the 
eye of the observer as he stands on the tap of "Waring 
Hill. Here, also, may be traced the wide-spread val- 
ley of the Hudson, as it lies between the Kayaderas- 
seras mountain on the west, the Green mountains on the 
east, and the Palmerton setting in from the north, dotted 
with woodland and cultivated farms. And as the clouds 
occasionally pass over the landscape and in turn shed a 
little darker hue on the meadow, the fallow and the 
grove, an additional beauty to all is imparted, by the 
mellow blending of the varied tints. And when au- 
tumn comes and spreads its fallow leaf and tinges the 
maple foilage with its high colorings, these commingled 
with the evergreens so abundant in this county, impart 
a beauty to this wild mountain scenery which is rarely 
equaled, and but seldom if ever surpassed. 

This last-mentioned view is obtained by a drive up 
the Hadley plank-road, of about eight miles, thence 
along the Mount Pleasant plank-road nearly up to the 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 125 

foot of Waring HilJ, six miles, tlience to the riglit by a 
mountain road for half a mile. At this point ths car- 
riages are to be left, and Waring Hill of three hun- 
dred feet is to be ascended on foot. This view may be 
visited between the breakfast and dinner hours, with 
great ease. Parties visiting it, may use glasses to great 
advantage while upon the mountain ; for many of the 
villages are not to be distinctly seen by the naked eye. 
Corinth Faf^ls. — Another drive is Corinth Falls. 
These falls are situated fifteen miles north of Saratoo^a 

o 

Springs, in the Hudson River. The cataract is about one 
mile from Jessup's landing. At this village is a comfort- 
able public house, and also a convenient place to dine. 
Tn order to view the falls from the Luzerne side, it is 
necessary to cross the river at the Landing, and thence by 
carriage-ways to the top of the bluff, which rises one 
hundred feet above the falls, or to the bank of the river 
below them. The rapids in the river begin about one 
mile above the cataract, and the stream narrows as it 
approaches the precipice, to fifty feet. Through this 
narrow channel the water of the stream is driven one 
hundred and fifty feet with great force. At this point 
the stream suddenly widens to about one hundred feet, 
and the water appears to fall into a deep chasm, from 
which it again ascends in billows of foam, and imme- 
diately makes its last leap over a precipice of more than 
sixty feet. There are no improvements immediately 
about the falls.*' The deep gorge above them affords no 
opportunity for building, and the high bluff above the 
cataract is so situated, that any other than private resi- 

* Since this work has been in type, a company from New-York 
has commenced improvements about the Falls, 



126 HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 

dences would be impracticable. The place is in nearly 
its native wildness. The high banks upon either side 
of the river are covered with pine, cedar and hemlock : 
and the rocks are covered with a variety of moss. The 
lover of the picturesque will find himself well repaid 
for his time and fatigue, by a few hours' contemplation 
of the wild beauty and lovely solitude of this fine 
cataract. 

Ellis Spring. — Another, pleasant drive is down the 
Ballston road two miles, to the Ellis Spring. This 
spring is near the railroad, a few rods from where the 
Ballston highway crosses the Saratoga and Schenectady 
railroad, and on the west slope of the hill. 

This spring is an acidulous carbonated water, and is 
in the mineral range. The water, unlike those at Sara- 
toga, issues from the slate rock. 

From this spring, take a westerly direction across the 
pond up to Cady Hill. At Cady Hill the right hand 
road is to be taken, and kept for about two miles from 
the hill. This lane follows the banks of a small stream, 
thickly wooded along its whole length. 

Benedict's Sulphur Spring. — Just before reaching 
a pond, a pair of bars opens the way to a large barren 
field upon one side, while a beautiful grove of evergreens 
in strong contrast occupies the other side of the path- 
way. After following this trail for twenty or thirty 
rods it turns into the grove through which it passes, 
and leaves the observer at the top of a bluff about forty 
feet in height. At the base of this bluff is a mineral 
spring strongly charged with sulphur, known as Row- 
laad's or Benedict's Spring. This place is susceptible 
of great improvements, and might be made one of con- 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 127 

siderable attraction. ^'^ Across the ravine is a marble 
quarry wliicli has been worked to a considerable extent. 

The way over the pond is to be taken and a westerly 
coarse parsaed for half a mile. At this place the right- 
hand road is to be taken, and continued past two roads 
bearing off to the east, up to the third road, which will 
lead the way to the Hadley plank-road at " Splinterville," 
Just before reaching the last-mentioned road to the 
east, a limestone formation is passed, unique in appear- 
ance. The surface of the rocks is formed into nearly 
concentric rings, which vary in size from an inch to 
eighteen inches in diameter. This agate appearance is 
not only found in portions of rock in the mass, but also 
in detached portions of various sizes. Near this oolitic 
formation, is Miller Hoyt's Lime Kiln, from which the 
village of Saratoga Springs is mainly supplied with 
this important article. On reaching the plank-road at 
'' Splinterville," the G-reenfield reservoir may be seen 
about forty or fifty rods in an easterly direction from 
the junction of the two roads. From this reservoir 
fresh water is broLight in conduits to supply the village. 
Two miles farther east the plank-road terminates in 
Broadway at the Columbian Hotel. The whole circuit 
making a drive of about seven or eight miles. 

Stiles' Hill. — iVnother pleasant excursion is to be 
had, by a drive of a few miles along the east base of the 
Palmertown Mountain, to Eli Stiles', thence near the 
school-house, from a point within a few rods of which may 
be found an extensive and beautiful view. This view com- 

^ This spring, with a few acres surrounding, has been recently pur- 
chased by one of our citizens, with a view of making it a place of public 
resort. 



128 



HAND-BOOK OF SARATOGA. 



mancls a beautiful landscape, which to the south extends 
fifty or sixty miles down the Mohawk and Hudson rivers. 
To the east, is held in full view, the beautiful mountain 
range, which rises up so imposingly between the Hud- 
son and Connecticut valleys ; while on the north is to 
be seen the Grreen Mountains of Vermont. This view 
is one of the very best which we have of the Hudson 
river valley, lying north of its confluence with the 
Mohawk, and commands the wide plains, which are 
spread out between the Kayaderasseras Mountain on the 
west, and the high range of land lying east of the Hud- 
son river. These plains were covered with a most 
beautiful growth of white and yellow pines, and other 
evergreens, before the woodman's axe had rudely cut 
them away, but now thoy are nearly shorn of their 
beauty, with only here and there a clump of trees to 
vary the flat barren sand plain. 

The diflerent distances of the mountain peaks pro- 
duce all the variety of coloring which so greatly en- 
hances the interest of mountain views. 

'J'here are some large boulders to be seen on the top 
of " Stiles' hill," which are also worthy of an examin- 
ation, having probably been brought from the primitive 
mountains farther to the north. 



INDEX 



Page. 

Acidulous Springs 77 

Albany County 9 

Albany Well ' 34 

Alterative Use of the Mineral 

Waters 82 

Aluminous Soils 115 

Apple Patent 7 

Andrews, Ashabel 27 

Arnold, John 16 

Ashley's Quarry 106 

Baker's Falls 107 

Ballston Fossils [ _ 108 

Ballston Fountains 35 

Ballston, Town of ' ' 10 

Baptist Society, Sjiratoga Springs 30 

Bath ....81, 84,90 

" Douche 96 

" Foot 96 

" Hip 96 

" Hot 101 

" Plunge 94 

" Re-action 93 

" Refrigerating 93 

" Shower 95 

" Sponge 96 

" Temperate 97 

" Warm 98 

Bathing 90 

Baths, Diversion 91 

Beach, Miles * 27 

Benedict's Spring ' ' 126 i 

Bilious Diseases 80 1 

Boulders 112 ! 

Boyd & McCulloch .' .' 34 | 

Bromine 68 > 

Bryan, Alexander 18 : 

Buraoyne, General 18 

CadyHiU '.[] 126' 

Calcareous Soil 116 | 

p Tufa 39,40 

Calciferous Sand Rock. 103 

Carbonate of Iron 67 

" of Lime ... 66 | 



Page. 

Carbonate of Magnesia 66 

" of Soda 64 

Carbonic Acid 70 

Cathartic 39 

Charlton, Town of U 

Chloride of Sodium 61 

Chlorosis 35 

Chronic Rheumatism . 83 

Chrysoberyl m 

Clarke, John 44 

Clay Balls 112 

Clifton Park, Town of 15 

Columbian Spring 45 

Congress Hall '. [/_] 24 

Congress Spring 42 

Constipation 89 

Corinth Falls 125 

Corinth, Town of . 13 

I Cutaneous Diseases 84 

I Day, Town of 14 

j Diaphoretics 79 90 

Diseases of the West . '86 

! Diuretics 78, 90 

Drinking Water in the Winter '87 

Drives about Saratoga 120 

Drive to Cady Hill 126 

" to Chapman's Hill 121 

" to CorinthFalls 125 

" to Eli Stiles' 127 

" to Ellis Spring .' .' 126 

" to Hagerty Hill 122 

" to Hewit Hill 123 

" to Miller Hoyt's 127 

" to Lake House 121 

" to Wagman's Hill 122 

" to Waring Hill 123 

Early Settlements in Saratoga. . . 5 

Edinburgh, Town of 13 

Eli Stiles' ' 127 

Ellis Spring 126 

Empire Spring 50 

Evacuant 77 

Ferruginous Soils 116 



130 



INDEX. 



Page. 

Ford, Jolni 28 

Fossils at Ashley's & Rowland's. 106 

at taker's Falls 107 

" at Ballston Spa 108 

at Gal way ..". 108 | Morgan, Gideon 

at Glen's Falls 109 | Mount Pleasant 



" at Greenfield 

at Sandy Hill . . . 

" at Saratoga Snrin 

" at Snake Hill.... 

" at Waterford .... 

Galwajs Town of 

Gates, General 

Glass Works on Mount Pleasant 



11, 



110 
110 
110 
110 
111 
108 
18 
123 



Page. 

Mineral Valley 33 

Mineral Water Bathing " . . 102 

Mineral Water, Use of in Winter! 87 

Moreau, Town of 13 

..'. 18 

123 



Glen's Falls 109 ' Phagedenic Ulcers' 



Grains of Saratoga County 

Grasses 

Grants of Land, &c 

Giavel 

Greenfield, Town of 

" Fossils of 

Hadlcy , Town of I3 

JIagerty Hill 122 

Ilalfinoon, Town of 10 

Hamillou Spring 



119 

118 

8 

83 

12 

110 



Northumberland 13 

Nathan Lewis .... 26 27 

Oolite .■;::. ■.;... '104 

Ure, Iron 121 

Over Taxed Brain .,..'. .' ." .' .' §7 

Patents ...'.' 7 

Pavilion Fountain 47 

Pavilion 27 

' ' " 83 



High Rock, Saratoga Spring 39 j Reaction 

High Rock Spnng 38 j Refrigeration 



Phosphate of Iron 68 

Phthisis ' gg 

Plunge Bath '. 94 

Potsdam Sandstone , . . ' 103 

Productions, Saratoga County... 116 

Providence, Town of 13 

Putnam, Gideon . ig 30 

Putnam Spring . '58 

Quaker Springs 37 

24, 46 j Reed's Spring .". , 59 



Rheumatism 83 



Hip and Foot Baths 96 

Hot Bath .. ... 101 j Rocks and Fdssils loi 

Hudson River Group ]06 ! Rowland's or Benedict's Spring' ' ' 126 

udson River Slate 105 j Sandstone, Calciferous . . ^ '" ' 103 

Hydriodate Potassa 08 Sandy Hill, Fossils of . . . . ' ' ' ' no 

Introduction 2 ! Sandstone, Potsdam . . {js 

r J"^ -^ • •. G8 i Sans-Souci Plotel, Ballston. 12 

Iodine Spring 49 i Saratoga, County of . . 9 

u"\^.!'!i°?r? /:V Saratoga, Definition of .■.■.■.■.'.■ .' .' .' .' 3 

^ "" Saratoga Lake 120 

Saratoga, Settlement of . 5 

Saratoga Springs, Town of. . ..... 14 

Saratoga, Town of ." ]o 

Schuyler, General Philip ...... 28 



Magnetic HI 

Phosphate 68 

James M. Marvin & Co .[ 28 

Johnson, Sir William 7, 15 

Kayaderasseras Patent 8 

Lake House 121 

Land Grants § 

Lewis, Nathan 26, 27 

Limestone, Trenton 104 

Livingston, Henry 17 



Soil. 



Al 



]\ragnesian Soil 116 i Snalo 

Magnetic Ore HI 

J\[alta, Town of. 13 

Marl, Deposits of ....'. 112 

]\[arvin it Co. . . . 28 

]\[cCulloch & Boyd ' 34 

:MiUer Hoyt's ." , !.^127 

Milton, Town of H 

Mineral Springs ,[[[ 77 



Scowton, Dirick . 16 

Scrofula ' ' ' g^ 

Shower Bath 9,5 

Slate, Hudson River 105 

Slate, Utica ' 105 



Hill , 



110 

• •; 113 

uminous 125 

" Calciferous hq 

" Ferruginous . ' hq 

" Magnesian hq 

" Silicious V ' '• 124 

Splinterville '.'.'..' 127 

Sponge Bath .'.'"' qq 



INDEX. 



131 



Page 



Paa:e. 



" Congress 42 



Ellis 

Empire * 

Gaylor's or Wilton 
Hamilton .... 

High Rock '. 

Iodine 



36, 126 
... 50 
.. 37 
.. 46 
. . 39 
49 



Pavilion 47 

Putnam . . . . 58 

Quaker ' 37 

Ten 37 

Washington or White's . . '. 55 



of Haclley ' " ].'] 

of HofFman ] 

of Malta ■••-.••. ^., 

of Milton !.....!.. ll 

of Moreau l3 

of Northumberland.. ... ... l3 

of Providence ] 3 

of Saratoga ] 3 

of Saratoga Sprinirs .. .. J-i 

of Stdl water T lO 

ofWaterford ". l3 

of Wilton I'r 



Stiles, 
Steel, 



wE-^s;s>SJ"--;; ^^iSSh^i— ■;■■•■•■.■.■.■.■;: i| 



Eli 227 

Q.n ^""-JohnH v.'; 68 

fetiil water, Town of. 10 

Sulphur Spring '.'.'.■.'.■.■.'.* 60 

laylor Brothers 29 

Temperate Bath ....... . . . 97 

Ten Springs 37 

Town of B^allston. 15 

" of Clifton Park . . . .*. ...'..'. 13 

" of Corinth ' ' n 

" of Charlton . . . 10 

" of Day ........ 14 

" of Edinburgh * 13 

" ofGalwayT 11 



an 2- 

United States Hotel 9S 

Van Shaick Patent "7 

Vegetable Production, &c. ' ' II6 

Vertical Section, H. Eock, S. Sn . .-59 

Waring Hill or Field 123 

Walton, Hon. Henry 3I 

Warm Bath ' j)S 

Washington or White's' s'nrin-.' ' ' 55 

Water ^ ' 75 

Waterbury, William . 29 

Waterford, Town of. ..'.'.'.'.". .'.'". 13 

White Sulphur Spring GO 

Wi ton or Gaylor's Spring 37 

Wilton, Town of. ' " 13 




2036 



